


What Lies Beneath

by LOTSlover



Series: Murder at Wayne Manor [2]
Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Angst, Attempted Sexual Assault, Crime Fighting, Drama, F/M, Kidnapping, Kissing, Organized Crime, Romance, Sexy Times, Squee, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-02-08 23:49:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 153,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12875670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LOTSlover/pseuds/LOTSlover
Summary: Sequel to Murder at Wayne Manor, Diana struggles to come to terms with what happened to her during her kidnapping, but how much will Bruce be able to help her when a new case surfaces in Gotham that threatens to destroy them both? Diana’s POV. Dark themes/sweet moments. BMWW





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *WARNING*
> 
> This fic deals with dark themes and Diana's struggle to come to terms with her abduction and assault. Do not read if you are uncomfortable with the topic of sexual assault. I understand it's a very hot topic right now and I'm addressing it with great care, not using it as a trope for my fic. You have been warned.
> 
> Second, Diana may seem out of character at times, but I am writing this fic with Diana the woman in mind, NOT Diana the warrior. This fic is focused on Diana's struggle to accept her abduction and the horrible things that were done to her. She's questioning everything that she's ever learned or believed about herself while still trying to be Wonder Woman. 
> 
> If you don't want to read Diana being portrayed with real struggles and PTSD, then DO NOT READ and don't send me hate mail. This is about Diana's road to recovery from a traumatic event. We will get there, but it's going to take time so please bear with me. It's not all sad and dark. There will be sweet moments, sad moments, and steamy moments so hang with me, folks!
> 
> Ok, I really hope you stick with me because I'm super excited with how this fic turned out and I think you will be too! :)

Prologue

**_Batcave; April 2nd, 03:21 EST_ **

Emma Bennett.

Another kidnapping.

Another college girl missing. 

Another family spiraling in a twister of fear and desperation and an endless string of questions that might never be answered. 

That makes nine girls missing in the last six months.

I feel my stomach lurch in response as nausea instantly rises in my chest. Bile burns in the back of my throat, but I force it back down. I know this sickening feeling all too well. It’s a familiar one that has become a regular occurrence, plaguing me ever since being abducted.

It’s an involuntary physical reaction that I can’t begin to control, one that I’ve struggled with since I was abducted by Ian Callahan and his men six months ago. I’ve tried meditation, prayers and petitions to my gods and goddesses for answers or some sort of reprieve, but I’m afraid they have fallen on deaf ears. I haven’t been able to stop the way my heart starts to pound or the tremble that rolls through me…the sickening dread that wells from somewhere deep inside of me.

I know that it’ll take time to get past the trauma of what had been done to me, but I want it gone now. I want to be me again, not some helpless casualty of a violent crime. I refuse to be a victim and yet that’s exactly what I am and I hate it. I hate it with every fiber of my being. It goes against everything that I’ve been trained to be and have always believed about myself.

I am Wonder Woman, Champion of the Gods. I am an immortal warrior. I risk my life every day to protect the innocent and stand strong and proud in the face of injustice, to right the wrongs and make the world safe again. I fight with everything that is in me to save others, not the other way around.

Now, everything feels upside down and inside out and I don’t know which way is up anymore. What I endured at the hands of those animals has rattled me to my core, shaken my faith to its very foundation. Everything that I had believed about myself is being put to the test and questioned as if under a bright spot light since the moment I was stripped of all control and dignity.

I am the one who fights for everyone else, not the other way around. I rescue, I save, I fight, and I conquer. There was absolutely none of that this time. While it was my choice not to fight back, to play the victim in order to protect the man that I’ve fallen in love with, I still find myself struggling to come to terms with that decision and the unforeseen ramifications of it. 

I would do it over again in a heartbeat in order to keep him safe and yet I can’t deny the bitterness and anger that still swarms in my soul like a dark living thing that threatens to overtake me when I least expect it. I know I need to find a way to rid myself of these dark emotions, but it’s proving to be far more difficult than I had originally believed. 

I thought I would come through this like I always have with everything that I have had to face in my life, but I’m no longer the same woman I was before that night and I have no idea to get back to being me again. I feel a large piece of me is forever changed, permanently damaged somehow. The woman and the warrior fractured, never to be one again.

I was taught from a very young age to hold my head high, burying the pain no matter if physical or emotional, and to carry on as if nothing had ever happened. It is the only way that I know how to deal with this, but it’s not working. Things just keep getting worse.

_“It is the way of the Amazons, my sun and stars…”_

I stare blankly at the computer screen before me as my mother’s words drift through my mind once more. I try to focus my jumbled thoughts, but I find it more than difficult as I read over the names of the other girls that had been taken. Several more young lives devastated…possibly beyond repair.

Willow Stevens, Ashley Collier, Becca Mathis, Kennedy Jamison, Lydia Peters, Angelica Jensen, Ally Parker, Emily Prescott. And now Emma Bennett has been added to that horrifying list that should never have to exist in the first place.

Where are these young girls? Who has them and why were they taken? Are they even still alive?

I can’t let my mind wander too far as I pause to send up another silent prayer of watch and protection over these girls despite the fact my faith in my gods has waned considerably over the last several months. If I think too much, I’ll find that I’m still in that terrifying place that is so dark and overwhelming, the abyss that I’m struggling to claw my way back out of in an effort to find myself once more.

I am an Amazon warrior, honed and imbued with amazing gifts that make me the warrior that I am. Even if I wasn’t the Olympians’ Champion; I am still an Amazon by right, a princess by title, and a woman by birth, molded from the clay my mother had formed me from. I will not cower from this nightmare that challenges everything that I am and have ever believed in, from the memories that I’ve tried so hard to bury.

I wish he were here with me now despite the fact that things have been so tense between us lately. I find myself struggling to find my way once more, these missing girls hitting far too close to home. It both infuriates and scares me at the same time. These emotions feel so out of control storming inside an Amazon who prides herself on her strength and fearlessness, her ability to overcome anything.

I glance at the time at the corner of the computer once more, knowing he’s out there right now trying to find these girls...his friend’s daughter. As hard as all of this has been for me, I know that it has been just as grueling for him as well. He might not have endured the torture and torment that I did, but I know that it has affected him no less deeply.

I’ve seen the pain that reflects in his blue eyes when I catch him watching me, the way that he reaches out to touch me only to pull back at the last second as if afraid I’ll shatter into a thousand pieces right before his eyes. He tries to hide how much it hurts him to see me broken; wanting to know what had been done to me. He’s been trying to show me a part of himself that I hadn’t seen before, attempting to open himself up just a little bit more all for me in an attempt to help me get past all of this.

I want to be out there to help him as much as he’s been trying to help me. I need to be a part of this case if not for myself then for these kidnapped girls. Hera only knows what they’re going through right now, although now I have an all too keen insight as to what they could be enduring. Unfortunately, Wonder Woman can’t be seen in Gotham helping Batman and Bruce absolutely refuses to let me go out on patrol with him or to search for these girls. 

I’ve been relegated to studying the cases from the “safety” of the Batcave. Even that agreement has been a tenuous one at best. I’ve been trying to change his mind on it, but trying to change Bruce’s mind is about as easy as trying to change my own. It’ll be interesting to see who come out the victor when two immovable forces collide like we eventually will.

I reminded him that I had gone out with him on patrol as Nemesis in the past, but I know he’s too afraid to let me go on patrol with him now because of what happened to me, afraid that it’ll only resurrect memories that I’m trying so hard to bury. His attempts to protect me only adds to my frustration and anger.

I can already see the toll that this case is taking on him, how deeply it angers and upsets him, but he refuses to talk about it with me for fear of upsetting me. It’s going to take time for him as well to get past all of this, to find a way to work together so seamlessly like we used to before this living nightmare occurred. 

I hear the sound of the Batmobile’s engine and I instantly feel as though I can breathe again, my every muscle relaxing with the knowledge that he’s finally home. I feel tears prick my eyes, but I quickly banish them. I haven’t shed a single tear since waking up in the hospital after my abduction and now will be no different. 

I know Bruce has been very worried about me and how I’m dealing with everything. It’s been a source of discussion and more than one argument on several occasions. I know it’s only because he cares so much for me, but I refuse to give it any more attention then we already have. If I do then McCaffrey and Callahan win and I will not allow that to happen. Ever.

I feel my heart beat a little harder as I hear him approach, a nervous flutter in the pit of my stomach. He awakens things inside of me that no other man has ever been able to do, his voice alone igniting a fire in my belly. I’m anxious to feel his arms around me once more, the warmth and strength that I can feel radiating from his body when he holds me close.

“What are you still doing up, Princess?”

His voice is harsh and rough like sandpaper, reprimanding in its tone. “I couldn’t sleep,” I reply as I turn his computer chair to face him, smiling in hopes of allaying his worry.

He pushes his cowl back with a sigh before pulling his gauntlets off and tossing them on the desk. He turns a deep frown on me, folding his arms against his chest. He’s not buying it for one moment. “Another nightmare?”

“Were you able to find Emma Bennett?” I ask instead, turning back to the computer so I don’t have to see the heartache that flashes through his eyes. It only makes me feel worse knowing that it’s hurting him so much to see me still affected like this despite my best efforts to mask it from everyone around me.

He releases a weary sigh as he pulls up a chair to sit down beside me. “Diana,” he utters my name and I internally cringe with the sharp tone. “We need to talk.”

I shake my head and stubbornly purse my lips, refusing to make eye contact. “There’s nothing to talk about, Bruce,” I evenly tell him. “Talking about it isn’t going to make it any of this better.”

I can feel the heat of his eyes burning straight through me, trying desperately to erase the memories that cling to me, the anger that refuses to subside. He reaches over and turns off the computer screen much to my mounting frustration. “I don’t want you working on this case anymore,” he curtly states.

My fingers instantly curl into furious fists, the press of my fingernails into my palms creating a string that helps me keep my focus. “Bruce, I need to do this,” I angrily bite out the words with a sense of dread welling up inside of me. “I have to help find these girls.”

“It’s making things worse,” he obstinately replies with a determination that I already know is going to result in a futile battle of wills. “I refuse to sit by any longer and watch as it beats you down all over again. I won’t do it.”

“I told you that I’m fine,” I repeat. 

The words have become my personal anthem, a mantra that I’ve repeated so many times that they sound broken and trite even to me now. They lack the conviction and sincerity that they had held months ago. Of course, even back then, he never really believed me when I said it. He knows me too well.

He releases an angry huff as he stands to his feet, abruptly grabs my arm and taking me by surprise. He roughly shoves my sleeve up past my elbow, revealing deep scratches and bruises. Some are a little older, some are new, but they are hideous to look at and an ugly reminder that things aren’t right.

“This is not fine, Diana!” he yells at me, forcing me to look at the self-inflicted wounds. He releases his hold on me, his arms folding against his chest once more as if trying to hold himself together instead of portraying the fearsome Dark Knight that he is. “No more argument. You’re off the case.”

“You can’t tell me what to do, Bruce,” I angrily hiss as I leap to my feet, standing toe-to-toe with him and refusing to back down.

“I love you, Diana,” he tells me for the first time since we’ve started dating and it makes my heart soar to finally hear those words. The anguish that fills his voice, though, splits my heart wide open. This isn’t how I wanted to hear those sacred words being spoken by him. He roughly grabs me by my upper arms and holds me tight. “I won’t sit back and watch you self-destruct without trying to save you. You either start talking to me or J’onn or I’ll have you put on leave from the League until you start dealing with this.”

I jerk free from his hold on me, a dark glower veiling my face. I’m stunned speechless as he turns abruptly on his heel and begins to stalk away from me. My chest starts to burn with the fury that tears through me like liquid fire, my fists trembling as I try to catch the breath he’s just stolen. 

“That’s pretty hypocritical coming from you, Bruce!” I yell as he approaches the steps of the platform.

He stops at the top of the platform steps, tilting his head slightly to look back over his shoulder at me. “Why do you think I’m telling you to stop?” he replies in a low voice.

It feels like I’ve just been punched in the gut, my world spiraling even further out of control as I turn to fly up the stairs and into the manor. While I’ve been doing my best to keep up a strong front, I’m afraid that what lies beneath…what consumes my soul now is escaping against my will.

How do I even begin to stop it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WHOA! What a way to start, huh? This will all be totally from Diana's POV and will follow the same format at Murder as Wayne Manor with the past coming first and the present which is six months later. I'll try to update as often as possible, but it might not be every week. 
> 
> I'm working away on Family Ties. Starting Chp 4, but I need to go back and do some editing on the first three chapters. I'll start posting it as soon as I get further ahead in it. Also working on a Suspicious Minds Series update so be looking for that in the next couple of weeks.
> 
> UP NEXT: Past portion will focus on Diana's trauma and Bruce and Diana's growing relationship. It is set one week after the end of Murder at Wayne Manor. The present part is set six months after the end of Murder of Wayne Manor. Hope you enjoy. :)


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_**Wayne Manor; October 23th, 02:37 EST** _

_I twist my wrists, my skin burning as the rope digs even deeper. I hiss with the pain that shoots like lightning through my arms. Blood trickles down my skin from the raw wounds the rough rope has created. I draw a shuddering breath, trying to meditate through the pain._

_I have lost track of time, not knowing what day it is let alone if it’s morning or night. All I know is this room and the pain that grips me. I glance down at my body, cringing at the sight of the cuts and burns…the torn clothes that can hardly be considered modest. It’s the consequences of my refusal to give them what they want and I know that far more is in store for me._

_I hear the sound of footsteps approaching and I refuse to give in to the apprehension building within me. I am an Amazon. It has become a mantra that I repeat in my head to remind me of where I came from and what I am born to do. I will not lose who I am in the midst of this nightmare._

_My breath catches in my throat as the door unlocks, the handle clicking. The door swings open and his massive size fills the doorway like Hades himself. I scowl at him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of fear or intimidation as he slowly makes his way towards me._

_“How’s my girl?” Ian asks, his lips curling with dark lust._

_“I’m not your girl,” I spit out with every bit of disdain I can muster, my gaze locked with his in defiance._

_He chuckles as he closes the door behind him, pausing to lock it. “That’s what I enjoy most about you, beor,” he tells me as he comes to stand before me. “That fiery spirit is quite the turn on.”_

_Even though I’m hanging a few inches off the ground, he is able to look directly into my eyes and what I find there is nothing but unadulterated evil. I had always believed that there had to be some semblance of good in everyone, but this man has just proven me very wrong. I’m beginning to think that Ian Callahan has been delivered here from the Pits of Tartarus by Hades himself._

_“I’m going to enjoy every single moment I get to spend with you tonight,” he says, his hand coming to rest against my left hip._

_“Go to hell,” I hiss, choosing my words wisely to protect my identity and therefore Bruce’s._

_He laughs as his hand begins to glide along my ribs, along the side of my breast and back down again. He leans in close, his lips a breath away from mine. “When I go, I’m going to make sure you come with me,” he murmurs. “I’m going to keep you as my personal plaything.”_

_He assaults me with a bruising kiss that only becomes more vicious as I struggle to break free. His hand finds my breast and squeezes hard before pinching me. I bite his lip, forcing him to release me. He grins maliciously as he glares at me, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand as I struggle to catch my breath. My vision is spinning in the next heartbeat as he backhands me hard across the face, nearly snapping my neck._

_My head is throbbing as blood begins to ooze from a cut on my cheek. He leans in close and slowly drags his tongue over my face to remove the blood. “You’re going to pay for that,” he hisses something low and dangerous. “I’m going to break you and then I’m going to slice you into little pieces.”_

_He reaches around and grabs the back of my hair, forcing my neck back as he begins kissing down my throat to my chest. I fight him as best I can, but it’s difficult with my wrists tied together and my arms strung up above my head._

_His monstrous hands grab my waist as he begins kissing my breasts through my bra. His left hand releases me only to slide down to grip my thigh to keep me from kicking him any further. I can feel the tears beginning to rise to the surface, clogging my throat, but I won’t allow them to fall. I won’t give him the satisfaction._

_Before I realize it, his hand is like a snake slithering beneath my skirt and up my thigh…_

_I gasp as I sit bolt upright in my bed, my heart hammering wildly against my breastbone. I can’t catch my breath, my chest heaving as I gulp in as much air as I can. I’m drenched in sweat, the sheets clenched and twisted in my fists as I quickly scan my bedroom for any signs of Ian Callahan._

_I find myself all alone, nothing but the sound of crickets outside my window my only company. Shafts of moonlight cut a golden path across my bed, letting me know it’s still the middle of the night. Bruce is more than likely still out on patrol and won’t be home for a few more hours._

_As much as I long to see him, I don’t want him to see me like this. I think he knows I’m having nightmares, but has thankfully not said anything about it. I know he’s trying to give me some space as I struggle to deal with all of this and I appreciate it more than he can begin to imagine._

_The despair I see in his eyes every time he looks at me is like a small stab to my heart. I never meant to bring him more pain in all of this, but I had to protect him and his family. I have come to care about all of them as if they were my own. I would take on all the pain in the world if I had to in order to protect him as well as them._

_Drawing my legs up to my chest, I wrap my arms around them, my forehead coming to rest on top of my knees. I try to calm my still racing heart, performing some breathing exercises. I swear I can still feel that animal’s fingers running over my body, touching me and violating me all over again._

_Nausea churns in my gut, forcing me to leap out of bed and run for the bathroom. I quickly lose my supper, sitting back on my heels and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. I close my eyes as my head tilts back, making sure there is nothing more in my stomach before getting up and washing my face and mouth._

_I gaze at the image in the mirror staring back at me, taken aback by what I see. Dark shadowy circles lie beneath my eyes, my face pale and drawn. Despite Alfred’s attempts to get me back to a healthy weight again as he repeatedly reminds me, I haven’t really gained much of it back yet. It’s hard to gain weight when I end up vomiting almost every time the memories become too much to bear._

_It feels as though my body is rebelling against my mind and my determination to not let this affect me. I had once believed that I was a woman of immense strength and control, but this whole traumatic event has definitely tested every single one of my beliefs about myself._

_I’ve been doing my best to shield my friends from as much of this as possible, trying to reassure them that I’m fine, but I know Bruce is not buying it. He is proving to be the hardest man in the entire world to deceive. It’s not that I want to lie to him, but I need to put on a strong front for him and everyone else in an effort to assuage the tension and uncomfortable feelings that seem to follow me everywhere I go._

_They all look at me as if I’m about to shatter into a million pieces, afraid to touch me or fearful of saying the wrong thing that will make me break down in heart-rending sobs. I think what angers me the most is the pity that fills their eyes when they look at me. I do not want anyone’s pity._

_I have to go on as if nothing happened for Bruce’s sake as well as my friends in order to make them feel more at ease around me again, in an attempt to diffuse the pain and sorrow that everyone is feeling. I know it’s only because they care, but I just need my life to get back to the way it had been before the abduction, before being violated._

_Flash looks as if he’s about to cry every time he looks at me, afraid to make jokes or be his usual jovial self. Kal…poor Kal. He just doesn’t know what to do or say. He starts to reach out to touch me only to jerk his hand back as if burned, looking away before I can see the tears that make his eyes shine far too brightly. He is filled with such a sense of anger mingled with anguish that it’s almost overwhelming._

_John has been treating me like a fellow Marine who has been compromised or injured in battle. He stands almost like a silent sentinel at my side, there for me and yet afraid to offer any comfort for fear I’ll break down. J’onn has offered to listen if I ever need to talk, but hasn’t pressed me into it. I know he can feel my struggle, can sense my thoughts and feelings, but has thankfully given me the space I need to come to terms with it on my own and in my own time._

_Bruce has been unbelievably patient and compassionate despite how deeply this has affected him as well. It almost brings tears to my eyes. He hasn’t pushed me to talk about it more than I can or feel that I want to even though I have yet to tell him absolutely everything._

_He has only left my side in order to go out on patrol in order to clean up the mess that Declan McCaffrey created with his Ash epidemic. He always reassures me that he’ll be back as soon as he can, stopping by my bedroom when he returns to check on me before going to bed._

_I wish that Bruce and I could get back to that thrilling place we were in before I was taken, the amazing feelings of nervous anticipation and teasing flirtatiousness that always comes when love first blossoms. All of that is definitely still there between us, but now there is also a dark heaviness that hangs over us…a barrier that has risen between us that neither of us talks about and I hate it._

_I drop my head, splashing more water on my face before patting it dry with a towel. Leaving the bathroom, I pull my hair into a ponytail. I stare at my bed for a long moment before readily deciding I don’t want to return there right now. I need an outlet for my anger and resentment._

_I quickly change out of my nightgown into workout clothes before heading downstairs. I glance at the clock to find it’s well after three in the morning. I make my way down into the cave, hoping to slip past J’onn who is doing monitor duty, but I know that’s next to impossible._

_I silently make my way past him, hoping he’s too absorbed in his work to notice me, but that hope is quickly dashed. “Another nightmare?” he solemnly asks, concerned, but not wanting to prod._

_“Yes,” I softly reply._

_“Diana, I’m here if you ever need to talk,” he reminds me again._

_“I know…thank you,” I tell him. “I’m just going to work out for a little bit.”_

_“I understand,” he says with a nod. “Please know that we all care about you, Diana, but no one is hurting for you more than Bruce is right now.”_

_My chin falls to my chest in guilt, knowing that I need to open up more to him than I have. He’s been so patient, so gentle that it only makes me fall that much more for him. I know that what I feel for him has to be love, but I’m scared to call it that just yet. I don’t want to dwell on the reasons why I shouldn’t right now. I just want to enjoy this amazing experience of falling and knowing that he feels the same way about me even though the words have not been spoken yet._

_My mother would be ashamed with how I’ve been struggling to deal with all of this over the last two weeks, but she’d no doubt be furious to learn that I’ve fallen for a man. He’s not just any man, though. He’s a mortal man who possesses no special abilities in her eyes, but I know he’s extraordinary in every way imaginable._

_“I know, J’onn,” I murmur. “I’m afraid of what all of this is going to do to what has been steadily growing between us over the last six months.”_

_The corners of his lips curl slightly as he gazes at me. “I would not worry about that, Diana. Trust your heart and everything will work out.”_

_“Thank you, J’onn,” I tell him before turning to make my way to the training room._

_I quickly take on the punching bag, pouring all of my anger and resentment and hatred into it. I never got the chance to take down Callahan or McCaffrey and it only manages to make my anger burn that much hotter. I know in my heart that it’s not Bruce’s fault for handling them. It had to be handled the way that it was in order to protect our secret identities, but the Amazon warrior in me still thirsts for the revenge that I was denied._

_Sweat trickles down my back and my neck as I continue to pound my fists into the defenseless bag, noticing how my strength is finally returning in full. It took time after being suppressed for so long, but I’m finally me again physically. Now if I can only find myself emotionally and mentally. I have a feeling that could take a lot longer._

_I barely notice how much time has passed until I feel the presence of someone behind me. Breathing heavily, I turn around to find Bruce standing there leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed against his chest. He’s dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, his hair still wet from his shower. I find my heart is racing for a different reason now._

_Hera, he’s so very handsome and the things that fill my mind when I look at him are enough to make my cheeks grow warm._

_“How was patrol?” I sheepishly ask him, averting my eyes as I grab a towel to wipe my face._

_“Quiet for the most part,” he replies, his expression grim with worry. “We were able to shut down another Ash processing house.”_

_“That’s a relief,” I agree. “I’ll be so happy when we won’t have to worry about it anymore.”_

_Bruce continues to watch my every move and I know that he’s not going to let the fact go that I’m up at…four thirty already? “You should try to get some sleep,” he gently tells me. “You’ve got a big day starting in a few hours.”_

_I force a smile to my face as I close the distance between us. “I hope I do a good job,” I say, releasing a sigh._

_“You will be fabulous,” he reassures me. “There is no other person that I would want to take over Ariel’s position at Wayne Enterprises than you. I know you’ll clean up the mess she made of the charities department.”_

_“I just still can’t believe that she stole all that money that was designated for charitable donations.”_

_“I know,” he agrees as we exit the training room together, his anger almost palpable. “It was definitely a shock, but I think it’ll be a good fit for you as long as you’re sure you’re ready to return to work. You know you can take as long as you need, Diana.”_

_“I know, but I want to get back to work, Bruce,” I maintain with a frown as I pitch my towel in the laundry bin. “It’s been too long and I need life to get back to normal again.”_

_Bruce turns to look at me, his expression still filled with uncertainty. “Okay,” he relents, “as long as you promise to be my date for lunch tomorrow.”_

_A genuine smile reaches my lips as I hook a damp lock of hair behind my ear. “I promise,” I tell him. “Good night.”_

_“Good night, Princess,” he says._

_I can feel his eyes on me as I make my way to the steps that will take me up into the manor. I swear I can feel his worry against my skin as I ascend the stairs, trying to burn away the layers to see what is really going on inside of me. I need to do a better job of reassuring him and relieving his worry or we’ll never get past this._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Wayne Enterprises; April 4th, 12:26 EST_ **

Sitting at my desk, I frown as I stare at the countless stacks of files that still need to be reviewed. Even though I’ve been the director of charitable funding for Wayne Enterprises for almost six months now, there continues to be a pile of work that never seems to end. It’s been a very slow, tedious process, one that has required a lot attention and a great deal of patience.

So far, I have uncovered far more illegal activity that Ariel Nelson had been doing under Bruce’s nose than either of us had been aware of. I’ve waded through a seemingly infinite amount of files, financial documents and spreadsheets in an effort to grasp some sort of hold of this mess that Ariel has created.

The problem is that Ariel was good…very good. She was smart and devious. If Bruce hadn’t been searching for me, he might never have known or discovered what Ariel had been doing. She covered and recovered her tracks very well; burying her thievery in fake charities and false accounts…people who didn’t even exist.

It makes me sick the amount of money that she had stolen from people who needed it, the homeless and the orphans, the veterans and the destitute. If she wasn’t already dead, I’d beat her myself. Originally, we had believed Ariel stole around four and a half million dollars over a year’s time. Now, with what I’ve been able to uncover, she’s stolen closer to ten million dollars so far.

I feel ill the more I uncover, knowing that I’ll have to tell Bruce that I just discovered another false charity, another two million dollars rerouted to her bank account in the Caribbean. He will take this personally, feeling as though he should have known…should have been able to stop her, but it’s not his fault. He couldn’t possibly see into the hearts and minds of every person he meets, but trying to convince him of that is next to impossible.

I pause to take a drink of my coffee, wrinkling my nose to find it is already cold. I get so lost in my work sometimes, I have no idea how much time has actually passed. I sit back in my chair with a sigh, tossing my pen on top of my paperwork as I turn to glance out my office window.

I honestly don’t know what I would have done without this job. I probably would’ve gone crazy by now without something to keep me occupied, an enormous task to undertake in order to keep my mind off the memories that continue to haunt me even now.

They’re like invisible spirits living in my mind, appearing out of nowhere to taunt me and tell me that I’m broken. Even six months later, the images and memories, the smells and sensations are just as real and vibrant as if it were happening to me all over again. It makes me wonder when it will all end…when it will start to fade away.

I can’t stop the shudder that roils through me even now as I swear there are unseen fingers roaming over my body. I rub my arms in an effort to ward off the unsettling feeling, closing my eyes to run through another meditation technique in an effort to quiet the turbulence I feel mounting inside of me.

I wonder how much longer this is going to go on, how much longer I’m going to have to wrestle with these demons residing in my soul. I’ve prayed and asked my goddesses for guidance, but those petitions have gone unanswered. I feel my anger towards them growing once more, wondering why they have abandoned me.

I close my eyes and allow my mind to wander back to a childhood memory. I hadn’t been more than five years old when I had fallen down some steps in the royal palace. My mother had come running with the sound of my cries, her face tender, but her voice stern as she picked me up.

_“No tears, my sun and stars,” my mother says as she sits down on a step next to me, using the edge of her robe to dry the tears on my cheeks.  
“But it hurts, mommy,” I whimper, holding my knee that is bleeding as the tears continue to fall.  
“I know it does,” she soothingly tells me, “but you must never let anyone see your pain. You are my daughter. You’re a princess and need to be strong no matter what.”  
“Yes, mommy,” I say as I fight back the tears._

Wrapping my arms around myself, I tighten my hold as memories of my argument with Bruce the night before last replaces the memory of my mother. The rage still simmers there inside of me, swarming like a caged beast seeking escape. I didn’t sleep at all that night, spending the hours of darkness alone in my room pacing and thinking and fuming.

Bruce had no right kicking me off the case like that. He doesn’t understand how I need to be a part of it, had to be involved in the search for these missing girls. I didn’t have to imagine what these young women were going through right now. I knew all too well what was probably happening to them and it made me ill to my core.

I hadn’t seen him at all yesterday or this morning. I had chosen to go into work early both mornings in order to avoid seeing him at breakfast, but I know that I can’t avoid him forever. Despite being absolutely furious with him, I love him deeply, far more than I have ever felt for anyone.

We work so flawlessly together, complimenting each other in every way. I know that I can help him solve this case if he’d just let me out of that damn cave of his that was becoming a prison. I’d considered sneaking out and doing my own investigation as Nemesis, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to do it yet. I don’t want to deceive him like that. 

Now, I may have no choice.

I have to help find these women. It’s the resolution that I need, the light at the end of a dark, bleak tunnel that I’ve been trying so hard to fight my way through. I need to know that what I went through wasn’t for nothing. I need to know that it was a horrible experience that I can use to help other women in similar situations. I just need to somehow make Bruce see that as well.

I scratch at my arms once more as memories of hands rubbing over my body flash through my mind, trying to erase the horrifying sensations that slither through me. I swallow back the accompanying nausea as I squeeze my eyes closed and force myself to find even a flicker of the peace that has eluded me for months now.

I slowly draw a deep breath, releasing it through my parted lips. As I inhale once more, I catch the masculine scent that makes my insides quiver with desire. I instantly grow tense, our argument from the night before last reigniting my indignation and anger all over again.

I immediately open my eyes and sit forward, my attention falling to my stack of work. I can feel his gaze locked on me, waiting for me to acknowledge him. He knows that I rival him in obstinacy. He’s going to have to make the first move.

He closes my office door without speaking a word before moving to sit in the chair in front of my desk. I can see him cross his right leg over his left, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he appears to settle in for the long wait. I can’t help the curiosity he has piqued along with my anger. I hope that he has come to apologize, telling me that he’s changed his mind about the decisions he has made without my say, but I know better than that.

“What do you want?” I finally ask against my better judgment, my anger right there for him to feel.

“I wanted to see how you were doing,” he tells me.

His anger from the other night is gone, but mine has not cooled in the least. “You’ve seen me now so you can leave,” I reply as I flip through a file, refusing to make eye contact.

He sits there for several long moments, waiting with a patience that is uncharacteristic for him. I try to continue my work, but he’s making it near impossible. I’m not ready to admit that he might be right and I’m definitely not ready to talk about what happened to me even with him. If anyone deserves to know, it’s Bruce, but I’m just not there yet. Besides, I’m an Amazon. We bury our emotional pain not wear it like a badge.

I know if I don’t come to terms with all of this soon, he’s going to push to have the Founders put me on leave until I do. The others will no doubt follow his lead like blind mice following the piped piper because they won’t stand up to him. Not even Kal would back me on this vote. The thought of it makes my anger scorch my veins. Bruce has no right, not after everything that I went through for him.

The worst part is that deep down a small piece of me knows that he’s right. Damn him. I refuse to give in, though. I can get through this myself. I don’t need anyone’s help.

“What do you want, Bruce?” I bite out, finally lifting my eyes to glare at him.

He looks back at me with nothing but compassion and understanding in those azure eyes and I feel a slight wavering in my anger, but I’m resolute in my decision to stay mad at him. He’s wrong about everything. “I want to take my girlfriend out for lunch,” he reveals, refusing to back down in the face of my anger with him.

Most people run away scared when I’m this angry, but not Bruce. Never him. He has been one of the very few who stands up to me regardless of the fact that I’m an Amazon who could break his neck with my thumb and forefinger alone. Even when he’s the source of my fury, he’s never backed away.

I stare at him, incredulous to his offer. “Are you serious?”

“I’ve very serious,” he confirms, his tone hopeful.

“After what you did to me the other night, you still want to go out as if nothing happened?” I practically hiss.

Bruce stares at me calmly, his expression full of concern, but his heartache is shining brightly in his eyes. “Diana, I meant what I said,” he confirms. “I care about you too much to sit back and watch you continue to hurt yourself or throw yourself into dangerous situations without backup.”

“I haven’t been doing anything except for my job,” I insist. “Any one of you would have done the same thing against that maniac.”

He releases a sigh as he uncrosses his leg and sits forward in his chair. “You needlessly threw yourself into a very dangerous situation that we had full control of. You continually take senseless risks with your life on missions. I won’t watch you try to kill yourself because you refuse to deal with what happened to you.”

“I’m not trying to kill myself,” I claim, his assumption ludicrous.

“I didn’t come here to argue with you,” he replies. “My decision still stands, Diana. I’m very worried about you. Instead of getting better, you’re getting worse. This case in Gotham has been affecting you more than you realize.”

“It’s affecting you too,” I counter.

“Yes, it is, but I didn’t go through the horrifying things that you did,” he reminds me.

“I need to help you find those girls, Bruce,” I argue with him. 

“No, you don’t need this right now,” he maintains. “Your nightmares are increasing; you’re scratching your skin raw. You hardly eat anything and you refuse to talk about what you went through with anyone. I’m terrified of what could happen to you if you don’t deal with this soon.”

“You don’t understand,” I spit the words out like a viper.

“No, I don’t understand because you refuse to talk to me,” he heatedly replies with the first spark of frustrated anger that he has let slip since entering my office. His eyes blaze with a fire that quickly turns into a pleading ache that stabs at my insides. “Please, Diana. I’m asking you to talk to someone. If you feel that you can’t talk to me…please talk to someone. You can’t keep carrying all of this inside of you. It’s eating you alive. I know that feeling far better than you think.”

Bruce’s plea manages to cut through a measure of my resentment and ire, forcing me to acknowledge that he is right though I refuse to give voice to it. He rarely if ever says please and the fact that he said it twice to me, practically pleading with me, does not go unnoticed. I know he’s hurt that I won’t talk to him about it, but it’s not because of him or that I don’t love him. It’s me and my foolish fears, the way that I was trained to deal with things like this.

“Talking about it isn’t going to change anything, Bruce,” I snap. “It won’t change anything that happened.”

“I know it won’t change what happened, but you have to get it out,” he tells me, refusing to back down on this. “I’m not the only one who’s worried sick about you. Alfred…the Founders, Dick, Barbara, and Tim…they’re all worried about you.”

I cock an eyebrow, my jaw clenching with renewed anger. “You’ve all been talking about me behind my back?”

“We care about you, Diana,” he states, unapologetic about it. “I’ve already spoken to Clark and he supports me on placing you on leave until you get the help you need.”

I sit back in my chair, crossing my arms against my chest in an effort to hold myself together. My heart is beginning to pound a little harder with the waves of fury thrumming through me. How dare they go behind my back and make decisions about my life without my input.

I look away from him, refusing to meet his piercing gaze. “You have no right to do this to me,” I hiss.

He stands from his chair, moving around to the other side of my desk. He crouches beside my chair, gently pulling my hand free to hold it in his. “I know what it’s like to be consumed by the darkness, the bitterness and rage,” he tells me. “I’ve lived it for more years than I care to think about, believing that I’d never find happiness again, but you saved me, Diana. You showed me there can be hope and light in my life without sacrificing my mission. You’ve given me back faith that I lost years ago. 

“I refuse to let the same thing happen to you now. You mean far too much to me, Princess. I’m going to fight for you whether you like or not, whether you want me to or not…whether you’ll still want me in your life in the end or not. It’s because I love you that much that I’m willing to risk your hatred of me.”

I watch as he brings my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it with such tenderness. He releases my hand, refusing to push me any further than he already has. “Maybe we can have lunch together tomorrow,” he suggests before standing to his feet and making his way to my office door.

He opens it, pausing to give me a small smile despite the sadness that permeates his eyes before leaving me all alone again to think about what he has said. I draw a shuddering breath as I turn my chair to look out my office window again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Diana is struggling right now, but I promise she'll find a way through this! I promise Bruce and Diana will eventually be all right! Not all of this fic is going to be dark and depressing. There are some really cute BMWW moments scattered throughout it so hang with me! :)
> 
> Also, for those of you concerned, Diana is not self-mutilating. More about this will come out later!
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana returns to work at Wayne Enterprises in the past and Bruce and Diana have a confrontation.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_**Wayne Manor; October 24th, 08:33 EST** _

_Standing before my walk-in closet, I frown as I flip through one hanger after another. Thanks to Bruce and Alfred, I have a wardrobe that could rival a queen’s, but I still can’t seem to decide what I want to wear on my first day back to work at Wayne Enterprises._

_I feel trepidation rising up from that dark chasm that now exists inside of my soul, a void that was born the day that I was taken. I try so hard to banish it, but it’s proving to be as stubborn as I am. I glance down at my nude body and internally cringe at what I see. The weight I lost is still quite noticeable, but improving a little. I won’t be satisfied until I’m me again in every way and all of this is nothing but a distant memory._

_I’m more than anxious to see where my relationship with Bruce is going, but I can’t help the sense of nervous apprehension that accompanies that excitement. I’ve never had these feelings before or been in love like this. It’s a new experience, one that I’ve never navigated before._

_Taking a plum colored business suit jacket and skirt off one of the hangers along with a matching blouse; I begin to get dressed as my thoughts swirl around the handsome billionaire in the bedroom next door to mine. I can still hardly believe that he has feelings for me. I had hoped for this…longed for him to finally acknowledge the intense attraction that charges the very air around us every time we’re anywhere near each other._

_Now that he has, I can’t help worrying about how everything that has happened to me will affect us. He has been so wonderful ever since he found me over two weeks ago, showing me such tenderness and warmth that it nearly brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. It’s a side of him that I knew existed, but now I get to witness firsthand._

_Sometimes I fear that he’s only doing it all out of guilt over what happened, but then I notice the way that he looks at me and it nearly overwhelms me with what I find there in those piercing blue orbs. No one has ever looked at me the way that he does. I know that I share those very same feelings that seem to burn straight through to my core._

_Finding some high-heels, I slip my feet into them as a knock at my door captures my attention.”Come in,” I call as I begin to gather my hair up into a twist, securing it with a hairclip._

_The door opens to reveal the handsome man who occupies my thoughts. His gaze roams over me and I feel myself growing warm with the intensity of it. “Good morning,” he greets me._

_“Morning, Bruce,” I reply as I finish with my hair._

_“You look beautiful,” he tells me, appreciation reflecting in his lingering gaze._

_“Thank you,” I respond, averting my eyes as I reach for the necklace Bruce gave me a few months ago. I’m so relieved that he was able to get it back for me. “I want to make a good impression on my first day back.”_

_He enters my bedroom, his expression growing serious. “Diana, everyone already adores you,” he reminds me. “The only person you need to prove yourself to is you.”_

_“I guess,” I reply with a nod as I turn to retrieve my glasses from my nightstand, putting on a brave face for him._

_Alfred told me that the five days that I’d been missing had been absolute hell for Bruce. I don’t want to add any more stress on him than he already carries on his shoulders. He has enough as it is with trying to finish cleaning up the Ash mess as well as trying to catch up on all the other cases that had been pushed aside in order to search for me._

_On top of that, he has pretty much ignored Wayne Enterprises since I went missing, today his first day back at work as well. I had tried to get him to return days ago, but he’d flat out refused, choosing to work from home until I’d fully recovered from injuries._

_The Watchtower is drawing nearer to being completed, requiring a great deal of attention as we expand our League membership. Countless supplies have been ordered and are already beginning to be delivered. There is also the hiring of the civilian staff that would be needed to keep the Watchtower running._

_Worrying about me is the last thing I want him to be doing right now. I don’t want to be a distraction to him, especially when he’s out on patrol in Gotham fighting crime and taking down dangerous rogues. I can’t handle the thought of him getting hurt._

_I turn back to find him standing there with his hands buried in his suit pants pockets, an expression on his face that I can’t quite give a name to. I can tell that there’s something he wants to say to me, but is wrestling with it. I close the distance between us, placing a hand on his forearm, hoping I can relieve even a small amount of his sorrow even if for just a little while._

_“What is it, Bruce?” I ask him, tilting my head as I carefully study him. He looks away under my scrutinizing gaze, forcing me to press him to open up to me. “Please, talk to me.”_

_“I just can’t help being worried about you going back to work so soon,” he confesses with a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging some with the admission._

_“I’m promise I’m fine,” I try to reassure him. “I’m more than ready to get my life back to normal again.”_

_A frown forms on his lips and I know that he doesn’t believe me. “Princess, you could be bleeding to death and you’d still try to convince me that you were completely fine.”_

_I raise an eyebrow as I stare at him, incredulity veiling my face as I purse my lips. “Really, Bruce?” I counter._

_He scowls before finally meeting my stare, his expression growing sheepish. “I know I’m not one to point fingers, but can you really blame me? You’ve been through a horrific ordeal, Diana. You almost died. I just don’t want you to push yourself too hard too fast.”_

_“I’m not,” I insist, appreciating his concern, but it’s definitely misplaced. I can more than handle this. “I just need to do this right now, Bruce. I need to get back to work and a normal routine again.”_

_“Okay,” he relents, forcing a smile. “Just promise me that if you find it’s too much, you’ll tell me. No one will think less of you if you decide that you need a break from all of this.”_

_“I promise,” I reply, but we both know that I never will._

_“Let’s go get some breakfast,” he suggests, letting it go for now. “I have to make sure that you eat more. Alfred is not at all pleased with the lack of weight gain and, quite frankly, neither am I.”_

_I relent as he takes me by the hand and leads me out of my bedroom, his grip on my hand firm and possessive. “Are you saying that you don’t like how I look?” I tease, trying to change the subject to a more lighthearted one._

_“I never said that,” he maintains as we descend the stairs and make our way to the kitchen. “I think you’re perfect no matter what.”_

_“I may be thinner, but I’m no less powerful,” I point out as we enter the kitchen to find Alfred already placing our breakfast on the table for us. I immediately frown as I take my seat, my focus on my plate. “Alfred, I can’t possibly eat all of this.”_

_“I’ll eat whatever you can’t,” Tim offers as he sits down next to J’onn._

_“She needs to eat as much of it as possible,” Bruce states as he picks up his newspaper to peruse the headlines just like he does every morning._

_Picking up my fork, I poke at my food, not really feeling that hungry. Without even looking, I can feel all of them watching me to see if I’ll eat. I take a bite, forcing myself to swallow in order to pacify everyone around me. I know they all care about me and are worried about how I’m coping, but they needn’t be. I’m fine. I’m an Amazon after all._

_“Never let anyone see weakness in you, my sun and stars…”_

_Mother’s words flit through my mind as I finally glance up to find Bruce staring at me from across the table, his eyes gentle with concern. Feeling the uneasiness that has enveloped the kitchen, J’onn thankfully comes to my rescue. “So, Diana,” he begins. “Have you started moving any personal items into your new quarters on the Watchtower?”_

_I turn to look at the Martian Manhunter sitting to my right, silently thanking him for the distraction. “Not yet,” I admit, stealing a fleeting glance at Bruce. His lips curl slightly at the corners and I know he’s wondering if I’ll reveal the fact that he’s asked me to stay here to live with him at the manor. “I’ll probably move some things in next week or the week after.”_

_Bruce looks slightly disappointed with my answer, but quickly conceals it. “I have some things that I’d like to take to my new quarters as well,” he adds. “We can have our things transported up in the next couple of weeks.”_

_“Nothing too important I hope,” Tim interjects. “You wouldn’t want to destroy your stuff if you decide to use the new Watchtower as a missile again.”_

_I frown with the reminder of Bruce’s suicide mission, remembering all too well how he nearly killed himself in order to save the planet. While heroic in every sense of the word, it was asinine and something I’ll never forgive him for doing. While his life might not seem important to him, it is very important to me._

_Noticing my irritation, Bruce scowls at Tim. “Thanks for the reminder,” he states. “Don’t you have to be leaving for school?”_

_“Nope,” he replies before shoveling in more food. “No school for the rest of the week because of teacher inservices.”_

_“So what are you going to do all day?” Bruce asks as he reaches for his glass of orange juice._

_“I’m going to see what more I can find out on that girl that went missing last night,” he reveals._

_I stiffen with the unexpected news, the atmosphere instantly filling with a suffocating tension that I feel in my bones. My attention immediately shifts to Bruce who is glaring at Tim. “What happened?” I find myself asking, trying desperately to ignore the way my heart is suddenly racing._

_Tim looks up from his plate to find everyone staring at him, his face going pale. “I’m so sorry, Diana,” he softly says. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”_

_I reach over and place my hand on top of his, squeezing it in reassurance. “I’m fine, Tim. I want you to talk about your cases in Gotham. It doesn’t bother me.”_

_Tim’s face brightens as Bruce’s darkens. Even with his usual stoic expression I can tell J’onn doesn’t believe me either. Thankfully, Alfred comes to my rescue before Bruce can call me out on it. “Actually, I have some chores already awaiting your attention, Master Timothy,” he informs him._

_Tim sinks back in his chair, displeasure clearly written on his face. “Oh man,” he grumbles._

_“It won’t be so bad,” Alfred claims. “We need to clean up the gardens.”_

_“Fine,” Tim ultimately decides. “At least I can be outside.”_

_“I better get going,” I tell them as I stand to my feet, desperate to get away. “I don’t want to be late on my first day back.”_

_“Diana,” Bruce mutters my name with a disapproving frown. “We’re riding in together today, remember?”_

_“I’ll go prepare the car,” Alfred announces, removing his apron and leaving to pull the car around to the front._

_Bruce looks at my plate that has barely been touched, but doesn’t say anything further as he lays his newspaper aside. Standing to his feet, he downs the last of his coffee and I can already tell by his posture that he’s not happy. I’m not sure if it’s Tim or me that upset him this time, but I can’t worry about that. I need to focus on getting my life back on track, starting with my job. I just need to work right now, get my mind on other things._

_“I’ll meet you out front,” I tell him, making a hasty retreat._

_I can hear Bruce and J’onn speaking in muted voices, but I can’t quite make out what they’re saying as I head to the library to retrieve my purse and briefcase. It doesn’t matter, though. I know they’re talking about me, Bruce venting his frustrations and J’onn trying to reassure him._

_As much as I appreciate their concern, I’m perfectly fine despite what they think. I don’t need them hovering over me, walking on egg shells around me and worrying that I’m going to suddenly shatter into a million pieces. I’m not some fragile woman or a damsel in distress._

_I can feel my irritation rising as I exit the library to find Bruce waiting for me in the foyer with his suit jacket in hand, his expression grim. We make our way out to the waiting car, neither of us saying a word. “Thank you, Alfred,” I murmur as he holds the back door open for me._

_Bruce slides into the backseat a few feet away from me, turning to push the button that closes the dividing window to give us some privacy. I feel a nervous flutter erupt in my stomach, wishing that we were going to talk about something much more pleasant than the conversation that is about to take place._

_“Diana—” he begins, but I quickly stop him._

_“No, Bruce,” I interrupt him as I turn to face him. “I appreciate you trying to protect me, but you don’t need to shield me from every little thing that happens. What Tim said didn’t upset me. I’m okay…really.”_

_He releases a sigh, momentarily looking out the window to his left as if trying to gather his thoughts. “I just don’t want you to get hurt again,” he finally admits as he stares straight ahead. “You’ve been through so much already. I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt anymore, Diana.”_

_I scoot closer to him, my hand coming to rest on his thigh and forcing him to look at me. “I hate to tell you, but painful things are going to happen, Bruce, especially with the lives that we lead,” I tell him. “I promise you this, though—we’ll get through it together.”_

_He stares into my eyes as if trying to read my thoughts. He appears to accept my response, but he still seems a bit unconvinced. “I’m sorry,” he softly says, his hand coming to rest on top of mine._

_“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I maintain as I turn my hand over to lace my fingers with his. “You have been so sweet these last couple of weeks. I couldn’t have gotten through it without you.”_

_Bruce snorts, a disbelieving smile appearing on his face as he shakes his head. “I’m not so sure about that, Princess. You’re far stronger than me and not just physically.”_

_He leans in and kisses me softly on the lips, far too chaste and too short for my liking, but he refuses to push things too far too fast. “Are we still on for lunch?” I ask._

_“As long as you promise me you’ll actually eat something,” he states with unmistakable disapproval. “You’re going to waste away to nothing.”_

_I fully lean against him, wishing we could spend the day together alone, but I know that we both have responsibilities that have been neglected for far too long. “I’ll try,” I promise him as my thoughts take me back to what Tim had said at breakfast. “What happened with that girl last night?”_

_I can feel him immediately growing tense with my question. I can tell it’s going to be like pulling teeth to get any information out of him about this new case. I’m surprised, however, when he speaks. “A junior at Gotham University went missing last night,” he reveals, his voice heavy with the anguish that I can practically feel. “Willow Stevens was returning to her dorm late last night when she was taken.”_

_“I’m sure you’ll find her, Bruce,” I confidently tell him. “You found me.”_

_He draws a shuddering breath and I know that this crime has hit far too close to home so soon after what I’d just been through. “I hope so,” he replies, tightening his hold on my hand as he turns to gaze out the window._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Watchtower; April 5th, 19:06 EST_ **

Running through the woods, I can feel my heart beating steadily in my chest, my pulse pounding. Sweat trickles down my back and chest, between my breasts. My breathing is growing ragged as I push myself harder and harder. The sound of my tennis shoes pounding against the earth like a drum makes me feel alive.

It helps to release a measure of the fury that courses through my veins. The feel of the wind against my face, the cool air the canopy of green above me creates. I grit my teeth as I push myself even harder, knowing my limits and wanting to push myself even further.

I hoped running would help clear my mind and soul of the tangled mess of emotions and memories that continue to haunt me, but it hasn’t helped. Nothing has helped. I’m constantly grasping at straws, reaching for anything that will help me and finding nothing.

I’m growing more and more desperate with every passing day, wishing and hoping and praying for an end to this nightmare so I can be me again. All I want is for things to be like they were before that dreaded night, but they never will be.

The trees and bushes become a blur of browns and greens as I run faster, the risk of running headlong into something swelling as I wind my way through the thick forest on the grounds of Wayne Manor, but I don’t care. Everything that I care about is being taken away from me.

Bruce refuses to allow me to help him search for the missing Gotham University girls. He’s even gone so far as to put me on restricted duty with the Justice League, limiting me to nothing but monitor duty. Wasn’t my sacrifice for him enough without doing this to me?

What’s next? Is he going to fire me from my job at Wayne Enterprises? Will he decide he doesn’t want me anymore…kick me out of the manor?

He barely touches me now as it is. I want things to progress in our relationship, taking it to the next level, but he’s hesitant. Hera, we’ve been dating for six months and all we’ve ever done is kiss. Even that has been somewhat limited at times, never lasting nearly long enough.

I’m about to go out of my mind if I don’t get to feel his muscular body against mine, feel the heat of his touch and the fierce passion that I know he keeps a tight rein on. I’ve told myself countless times that he just doesn’t want to push me into more after what I’d been through, but now I’m beginning to think that he doesn’t want me anymore…not after what happened to me.

Who could really blame him? While I wasn’t truly raped, I was violated…touched in ways that I had wanted Bruce to touch me. Instead, those filthy animals stole those moments from me and it’s something that I’ll never get back. The thought makes my skin crawl, my stomach churning all over again.

Bruce won’t be the first man to touch my breasts or caress me, the first to place kisses along my throat or touch me so intimately. The memories of those moments are now tainted and dark, branded into my mind so as to never be erased.

Am I still pure? A virgin? Deep down, I know that I am, but I no longer feel like one. I’d wanted to give that to Bruce, for him to be the one to take that from me. Now, the lines are blurred, crossed by vile men who had no right to do what they did without permission, to take what was not theirs to take.

I glance down at my arms, noticing the ugly, red scratches that run the length of my arms. They’re inflamed with the heat of my skin, the sweat that trickles down my arms. They’ll eventually heal just like all of my wounds always do, no scars left behind as evidence of my self-imposed abuse, but the wounds on the inside will never heal, never disappear.

I’m broken and no amount of time or talking or patience is going to heal that. My outside appearance is just a visual hint of what I feel on the inside. I feel ugly…tainted and so undesirable. Bruce doesn’t even look at me quite the same way that he used to. Instead of longing and hunger burning in his eyes, I see nothing but sorrow and worry.

I grunt as I slam my shoulder full force into a massive tree trunk that is probably hundreds of years old, dislocating the joint. My arm tingles as it hangs limply at my side. I try to rotate it back into place, but it’s refusing to cooperate. I’ll have to have Alfred fix it for me.

Deciding I need to return to the manor, I fly back, entering through the secret tunnel that will lead me into the cave. It’s eerily quiet and I can’t help but wonder what Bruce is doing. He’s probably preparing to go out on patrol. He’d promised his friend Ethan that he’d look for his missing daughter Emily and he intends to keep that promise.

After having my shoulder looked at, I’m going to do my best to convince Bruce to let me help him, to let me be Nemesis again. Maybe if I start telling him some of the things that he wants to know then he’ll let me back on the case with him.

I know that I’m going to have to do something to get my life back. While I’m definitely not ready to talk about everything that I endured, I’m going to have to give him some of what he wants. My biggest fear, though, is that once he learns everything, he’ll end up turning his back on me forever. I couldn’t handle him doing that.

Entering the cave, I find the platform empty, no sign of Bruce anywhere. I release a sigh of relief. If he saw my shoulder, I’d never hear the end of it. I fly towards the medical bay only to find him there sorting through some of the supplies.

Bruce looks up as I land several feet away from him, my arm hanging limply at my side. His eyes fall closed for a long moment as he pinches the bridge of his nose, a weary sigh escaping his lips. “What did you do this time, Princess?”

The exhaustion and anger is right there for me to feel the scratch of it against my skin and my insides clench in response. I’m sure I look like a complete mess, covered in sweat and small cuts from the thorny bushes that clawed at my skin as I ran past.

“It was an accident,” I maintain as I stand there staring at him like a small child discovered by a parent doing something she shouldn’t have been doing.

He opens his eyes to gaze at me and the brokenness I see reflected there nearly rends me in two. He slowly makes his way to me, coming to stand directly in front of me. “What am I going to do with you?” he softly asks and it feels as though he’s giving up on me.

It feels like a thousand pounds is suddenly sitting on my chest, fear rising like a geyser within me. I silently plead with him not to give up on me, to give me a little more time. I feel the burn of unshed tears in my throat as I gaze into his eyes, beseeching him not to leave me.

His gaze is so tender as he reaches out to pull a sweaty strand of hair off my cheek, tucking it behind my ear. I bite at my bottom lip as he caresses the side of my face, his thumb stroking my cheekbone. “You’re an absolute mess, Princess,” he murmurs and we both know that those words carry so much meaning beyond just the physical.

My eyes fall closed as I tamp down on the well of tears that have been trying to escape for the last six months now. I feel his lips so soft against my forehead, forcing my eyes open. It’s in moments just like these that I know beyond any foolish doubts that he loves me. The dark clouds that seem to hang over me everywhere I go seem to roll away and the sun is shining and the world is bright again. I feel whole. 

Unfortunately, the darkness is always there inside me, simmering in my soul and threatening to swallow me whole.

 _“If he only knew…he’d never want me,”_ I can’t help but think.

“Come here,” he tells me, taking my good hand in his and leading me to the medical table.

I go willingly, wondering for the hundredth time what he ever sees in me. He could have any woman in the whole world and yet he wants to be with me. I grimace as I settle on top of the medical table, my shoulder throbbing mercilessly.

He moves to stand directly in front of me, my legs parting to accommodate his muscular frame. He carefully takes my injured arm in his grasp, concern etched in his handsome face. I know he’s hesitating, but he doesn’t need to.

“Just do it, Bruce,” I tell him, bracing myself for the shock of pain that’s about to lance through me.

He draws a deep breath, one hand on my elbow, the other grasping my wrist. He begins to pull on my arm, my shoulder suddenly snapping back into place with a loud pop. I grit my teeth against the pain that takes my breath away. I try my best to not let the pain show on my face, but I can tell by his expression that I failed miserably.

“You need to put ice on it,” he informs me as he reaches for the antiseptic and a stack of gauze.

“I will,” I reassure him. “I should probably get a shower first, though.”

“What happened?” he asks as he begins to clean the countless cuts and scratches that cover my arms and neck, my face and legs. “You look like you tangled with a locust bush.”

“I think I found every single one of them in your woods,” I reply, ignoring the sharp sting of the antiseptic.

“Is that how you dislocated your shoulder?” he ventures, casting a fleeting glance at my face as he cleans deep gashes on my arms that we both know didn’t come from any bush.

“I was running through the woods and banged my shoulder against a tree,” I sheepishly confess.

He pauses for a moment in his cleaning of a particularly deep wound on my right forearm, drawing a deep breath. He knows there is more to it than that, but doesn’t seem inclined to push me about it at the moment. “There,” he murmurs. “Why don’t you get a shower? I need to talk to you about something.”

I instantly stiffen with his words, my mind racing with questions and fears. Was this it? Was he finally done with me…going to tell me to leave the manor and never come back? He seems to sense my fears as he places a reassuring hand on my forearm, forcing me to meet his intense gaze.

“It’s about the missing girls,” he clarifies. “I’ll get some ice for your shoulder while you get cleaned up.”

I release the breath I had no idea I’d been holding, sliding off the medical table. I start to walk away, pausing to look back at him as he cleans up the mess. “Thank you, Bruce,” I softly say.

He looks up and smiles at me, but it doesn’t reach his eyes that are filled with the hurt that I’m sure I’ve placed there with my newest injuries. “Always, Princess,” he tells me.

I quicken my pace as I head to the showers, my heart in my throat as I undress. I can’t help wondering what he wants to talk to me about with this case. I hope that he’s actually changed his mind about letting me help search for the girls, but I have a bad feeling it’s not something that’s going to happen any time soon.

I have yet to open up to anyone about what happened to me, not even Bruce. While I don’t physically hurt myself on purpose, I’ve been pushing myself harder, throwing myself into dangerous situations and tempting fate. The physical pain is a brief reprieve from the emotional. That was more than obvious with my dislocated shoulder. No, this is something else going on, something that I have a feeling I’m not going to like.

Standing beneath the hot water, I pull my long hair free from my ponytail, washing it with the shampoo that I know that Bruce loves. I smile to myself as I remember the first time that I had used it as well as his reaction to it. It was something that I had secretly hoped for.

We had been working in the cave on the list of names to invite to my charity gala to benefit the anti-drug collation program, flirting back and forth with each other. I miss that closeness that we had shared so many months ago, the only barrier between us the unspoken attraction that continually pulled us towards each other like magnets.

I finish my shower, drying off and dressing in a pair of workout shorts and a tank top. I’m determined to recapture that closeness we had once shared, to show Bruce how much I want him…need him. I make my way to where he keeps all of his gadgets and gear. He’s putting things into a large duffle bag, making me wonder what he’s up to.

“Bruce,” I murmur his name, curious as to what he is doing as I come to stand beside him. “What are you doing?”

“I’m packing some equipment that I’m going to need,” he reveals.

I frown as I look over the equipment he has spread out on his work table, my heart beating a little harder in anticipation of what he’s about to tell me. “Need for what? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going deep undercover for a few days,” he informs me without looking up. “I need to find these girls…to find Emily for Ethan. The only way to do that now is to go undercover.”

“Bruce, you can’t do this,” I heatedly state as panic springs anew.

“I have to, Diana,” he firmly says, lifting his head to look at me. “I have to find Emily and the others before it’s too late. The longer this goes on the greater the chance of never finding them. My investigation is going nowhere. It’s time I go undercover.”

“I’m going with you,” I reply without a second thought. I’m not about to let him do this alone.

“No, you’re not,” he states as he fully turns to face me, his jaw set like steel. “I’ll only be gone for a few days, but I have to do this. Ethan is out of his mind with worry about Emily and I promised him I would find her. I know what he’s going through, Diana. I can’t let him live like this much longer.”

My hand comes to rest against his cheek as I close the distance between us. “I know and I’m sorry you had to go through that because of me,” I tell him. “Please let me help you with this.”

He takes my hand from his face to hold it in his own, his other arm wrapping around my waist. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you go, Diana. This case is far too close to what you’ve been through. You’re already struggling to cope as it is without being involved in this.”

Instead of arguing, I lean in and kiss him, my hands threading through his hair and holding him where I want him. He is hesitant at first, but abruptly responds to the fierce passion that I’m pouring into that kiss. I nip at his bottom lip before pressing for more, my tongue gaining entrance to what I want.

He moans as I deepen the kiss, his hands beginning to roam over me with a mutual hunger that has been burning through my body for far too long. He breaks the kiss in order to suck in much needed air, his breathing exerted as he gazes at me with lust-filled eyes.

I don’t allow him a chance to pull away from me as my lips crash into his once more, my hands slipping up under his shirt to lightly rake my fingernails over his muscled chest. He groans into my mouth as he abruptly turns and presses me up against the nearest wall.

He grinds his hips against me, showing me how badly he wants me. His hard arousal both stuns and excites me as I pull away from his lips to press kisses along his jaw to his ear. “I want you, Bruce,” I breathe into his ear, my hands wandering to the waistband of his jeans.

He abruptly grabs hold of my hands, stopping me from exploring any further. He holds my wrists in an almost bruising grip as he pulls away from me, putting some space between us. “We can’t…Diana,” he pants heavily. “Not now…not here like this.”

“I need you, Bruce,” I tell him again as I lean towards him for another kiss.

“No, Diana,” he firmly states as he holds me at bay by my wrists, his azure eyes flashing dangerously as he struggles to catch his breath. “We have too much that we still need to work out between us before this can ever happen.”

With a furious glower, I yank my arms free from his hold. “Admit it, Bruce,” I yell, hurt beyond measure that he was pushing me away. “You don’t want me anymore…not after what happened to me.”

“Diana, I never said that,” he angrily denies. “I can’t be with you while you’re still hurting yourself. How can I make love to you when you won’t even talk to me about what you’re going through? How can I have you in my bed when you won’t even let me into your pain?”

“I told you I’m fine,” I snap, unconsciously wrapping my arms around myself as I look away. “I need you, Bruce. I need to feel something other than—”

“You need help, Diana, not sex,” he asserts, raking his fingers back through his hair as he struggles to rein-in his desire. “I’m going undercover for a couple of days to see what I can find. I’ll check in at midnight each night. When I get back, you and I are going to fix this one way or another.”

“Just go,” I grind out the words, refusing to make eye contact with him.

The feel of his fingers beneath my chin forces me to look at him, his touch so gentle. “I’m not giving up on you, Diana,” he firmly claims, his expression full of frustrated anger that is palpable. “Whether you believe it or not, I love you, Princess. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

He leans in and kisses me softly on the forehead before pulling away. He grabs his backpack and turns to leave, pausing to look back over his shoulder at me. “Dick will be staying here at the manor and helping Tim patrol Gotham for me while I’m undercover. Clark is on standby if you need anything.”

I refuse to answer him, my hurt and anger bubbling within and nearly choking me. The sting of his rejection only adds to my pain and guilt, confirming in my mind that he doesn’t want me despite what he told me. He finally walks away, leaving me all alone in the cave.

The silence that surrounds me is deafening, the loneliness that I already feel with his absence crushing. I should have told him that I love him too, but the words stuck in my throat. I stand frozen in place as I hear the roar of his motorcycle coming to life.

Everything inside of me pleads with me to run to him, to tell him everything that I’ve been harboring deep inside of me, but I can’t. I just can’t do it. If I tell him everything, I’ll lose him. I only have two days to come to terms with everything, praying that he won’t hate me when he finds out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: OH NO! Poor Bruce & Diana! They're really going through a hard time, but please stay with me and see where this goes. I promise it'll be worth the ride!
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce & Diana work on the new Watchtower and in the present, Clark has a heart-to-heart talk with Diana.
> 
> Also, Lotsy lost her groove on the Family Ties fic, but I GOT IT BACK! Chp 4 is almost done and I'm going to be starting Chp 5. I hope to start posting it before the end of the year.
> 
> And lastly, the Suspicious Minds update should be coming out by the end of the week. I think you're all going to really love it! It's the Starcrossed ep!
> 
> Peace out, Wonderbat Fam! :)


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_**Watchtower; October 26th, 17:06 EST** _

_I scrunch up my nose as I materialize on the Watchtower, the unusual feeling of being transported still something that will take time getting used to. It leaves me feeling a little off, but it quickly begins to pass as I step off the transporter pad._

_“You’ll get used to it, Princess,” Batman informs me as he enters the room to greet me._

_I swear it’s as if he can read my mind sometimes. “It’s not that bad,” I tell him as we exit the transport room together._

_We’ve been very careful about showing up on the Watchtower at different times, never appearing together unless we’re on a mission or working on a specific project. We are trying to keep news of our relationship a secret for as long as possible, but those who already know Bruce’s secret identity as well as mine have started talking._

_Whispers seem to follow us everywhere we go whether we’re together on the Watchtower or not. If Flash doesn’t stop feeding the rumor mill, I’m going to have to have a personal meeting with him that may or may not include some threats of bodily harm._

_While I’m not concerned about it, I know that Bruce is and I respect that. I know how difficult relationships have been for him in the past and I don’t want to do anything that could possibly jeopardize what we have or cause him to feel uncomfortable about pursuing this. Hera knows we’ve already had enough thrown at us lately that would make anyone want to run away screaming and I don’t want to add any more stress to it._

_Besides, it’s been rather nice keeping it private and between us, something that is just ours. Stolen moments and clandestine meetings in hopes of not getting caught have added an unexpected flitter of excitement to our budding relationship._

_Today, though, we have a very good reason to be here together. We have some work to do on a Javelin that was damaged during a mission the other day. I get to do the heavy lifting while Bruce welds a couple of new panels on it._

_I’m sure others could easily handle the repairs, but Bruce was insistent that he and I take care of it before the weekly Founders’ meeting scheduled for this evening. I’m not quite certain why, but I’m sure I’m about to find out. Bruce never does anything without having some reason or purpose behind it._

_“How was your day?” he softly asks me, keeping his eyes focused straight ahead._

_If not for my enhanced hearing, I might not have even heard him. “I’m not sure you want to know.”_

_I hear a barely perceptible sigh before he finally speaks again. “How much more did you uncover?”_

_“Another two point five million,” I inform him._

_I know how deeply it angers him to hear it, how upset he is over the fact that money set aside for charities had been so selfishly channeled into private overseas bank accounts. I want to pull him aside and wrap my arms around him, reassure him that none of this is his fault, but we can’t while we’re on the Watchtower. Even though the new League members and civilian staff don’t report for duty for another week or so, I don’t want to generate any questions among our current teammates._

_“I’ll have Oracle see if she can track down these new accounts and hopefully recover the money that was stolen,” he replies._

_“Has she been able to recover anything yet?” I ask, hoping that we would get something back._

_“She found a bank account in the Caribbean so far containing around seven million dollars,” he tells me. “She’s going to have it transferred back to Wayne Enterprises.”_

_“That’s great,” I tell him. “Every little bit we can recover will help.”_

_“Yes, it will,” he agrees, but I can sense his self-imposed culpability._

_As we head to the Javelin bay, I pull him to a stop, forcing him to face me. “None of what Ariel did was your fault,” I sternly reprimand him. “This is all on her, not you.”_

_He stares at me for a long moment, finally breaking eye contact as he looks to his right. “I should have been more aware of what was happening in my own company right under my nose, Diana. My company…my fault.”_

_“You can’t know every single thing that goes on at every minute of the day,” I point out. “No one knows what lies in the hearts of man. We can only do our best and trust that we make the right decisions.”_

_He turns to meet my gaze again, his frown deepening. “I know you’re right,” he confesses, crossing his arms against his chest. “It’s just…hard to accept.”_

_“I know, but I’m here to help you,” I remind him._

_“Thank you, Diana,” he softly says, his hand coming to rest against my cheek._

_I find myself turning into his gauntleted touch against my face, my eyes momentarily falling closed. These feelings I hold so deep in my heart for this man continue to take me by surprise. A flame has been lit by him in my soul and it burns only for him._

_I force myself to open my eyes, knowing that we can’t let it go any further up here on the Watchtower without arousing suspicions and fueling rumors. “We should probably get the repairs done,” I venture, trying to quiet the butterflies flitting about in the pit of my stomach._

_His hand falls away much to my disappointment before we turn to head towards the damaged Javelin. I carefully begin removing the damaged tiles while Bruce grabs the necessary tools, my mind filled with so many thoughts that vary from anger with Ariel for what she had done to feeling heartache for Bruce for what he is going through now. He doesn’t deserve all this added trouble._

_Putting the tile in place, I hold it for Bruce as he begins to work. He is the most amazing man that I have ever known, full of such strength and nobility and compassion that is rarely if ever truly noticed or appreciated. I wish that others could see it and to really know Bruce the way that I’ve come to know him._

_I know that he still blames himself for what happened to me, carrying it deep within him where no one can reach it or try to abolish it. He feels that it is his cross to carry, his burden and guilt to hold on to, but it isn’t. I allowed them to take me in order to protect him and his family. I played the victim to keep him safe. It was my choice and I alone will carry the weight of that choice._

_I can feel his gaze on me and I know that he is thinking about it too. It seems to always be right there in the backs of our minds, lingering in the recesses and waiting to strike like a deadly viper to steal our happiness. I refuse to let it, refuse to acknowledge it or give it any power over me._

_“When did you hurt yourself?”_

_The sound of his voice cuts through my thoughts and I turn to look at him, noticing that he is done with the repair of the first panel. I glance down at my arm and notice the deep scratch marks on it. “I’m not sure,” I absentmindedly respond as I step back from the Javelin._

_“Diana, this is pretty deep,” he comments, concern etched on his face. “You should go to the infirmary and have it checked out.”_

_“It doesn’t hurt,” I tell him as I reach for another tile. “Besides, it’ll be gone in a day or so.”_

_He frowns at me and I know that he doesn’t like my answer. “There’s one more tile to fix and then we should head to the meeting,” he states, thankfully appearing to let it go for the moment._

_This will be the first Founders’ meeting since Bruce found me. I’m a little apprehensive about how it will go. “So did you bring me along just to play your assistant?” I tease him, trying to lighten his mood as he begins to repair the second tile._

_“I have to find any way I can to spend some time alone with you,” he tells me with that playboy grin that is so incongruous with the black cowl he wears._

_“You could just ask me out on a date like a normal couple,” I remind him._

_Bruce gives me a look that I can read with or without the cowl on. “You know as well as I do that we are definitely not an ordinary couple, Princess,” he points out. “I will ask you out a real date as soon as things settle down once more.”_

_“You mean as soon as you’re sure I’m all right,” I clarify for him, a hint of irritation lacing my voice._

_“I didn’t say that,” he replies. “It’s been busy with trying to get the League up and running again. On top of that, I’m still trying to clean up the Ash problem in Gotham.”_

_“I know…I’m sorry,” I concede._

_I can feel his eyes on me as he continues to work, trying to determine how I’m really doing. It’s beginning to prickle my anger. I know that it’s only because he cares about me, but it’s almost suffocating sometimes how much everyone is so worried about me, afraid that I’m going to crack or be reduced to a sobbing mess with the slightest little thing._

_I haven’t cried once since I was taken save for a few stray tears I shed in the hospital soon after I woke up. Why do they all think that I’m going to fall apart now? It’s been three weeks already and life needs to get back to a regular routine. I just wish everyone would believe me when I tell them I’m fine, especially Bruce, but I know that he’s not convinced._

_Of course, “I’m fine” has been his go-to response for as long as I’ve known the man, his weak attempt at reassuring everyone and keeping them at bay. He of all people understands the lack of conviction behind those words._

_Thoughts of how Ian Callahan slowly ran his hands over my body unexpectedly race through my mind, his filthy touch making me feel so dirty and ashamed for something that wasn’t even my fault. “You are going to enjoy this, beor.” He taunted me with that sadistic grin as his lips ghosted over my stomach, his fingers on my breasts and stroking my arms._

_The feel of a hand brushing against the side of my breast startles me out of my thoughts and I immediately react without even thinking. In less than a heartbeat, I have him pinned up against the side of the Javelin, my forearm pressed against his throat and my chest heaving with raw fury. His body goes rigid beneath my hold as my blood pounds in my ears like a violent warrior’s cry, my lips twisted into a sneer._

_No one will ever hurt me like that again._

_He doesn’t fight or try to struggle against my hold on him. Instead, he calmly stares at me, giving me a moment to collect myself before he speaks. “Diana, it’s me…it’s Bruce,” he tells me with a gentleness that seems so incongruent with the mask that he wears._

_He doesn’t try to move, doesn’t try to touch me as realization swiftly washes over me that this isn’t Ian Callahan. Horrified, I quickly release my hold on him, stumbling a few steps back and putting some distance between us. “I’m…I’m so sorry,” I hear myself murmuring as I try to put together the pieces as to why I would’ve reacted that way especially with him._

_I turn away from him, mortified by the fact that I nearly attacked the man that I care about most. There’s no excuse for my actions. I begin to vigorously rub my arms to ward off a chill that drifts through me, swearing I can still feel their hands roaming over me._

_I force myself to take a couple of deep breaths, ashamed of how I reacted to his accidental touch. He, on the other hand, is far more forgiving than I am of myself at that moment. “Diana, it’s all right,” he tells me. “I didn’t mean to touch you like that.”_

_I turn to meet his gaze, stunned to find he’d removed his cowl. His azure eyes are filled with concern and tenderness that only adds to my guilt. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Bruce. It was my fault for reacting like I did.”_

_“Diana, if I’m pushing you too much—”_

_“You’re not pushing me,” I interrupt him, my anger right there beneath my skin itching to be released. He stares at me with a helplessness that is rarely if ever seen on the forbidding Batman’s face and I know that I have to make it better for him. “I just want life to get back to the way that it was.”_

_“You need to give yourself time to heal,” he counters with a firmness that is contradictory with the concern reflecting in his eyes. “It’s only been three weeks.”_

_I fold my arms against my chest as I meet his probing stare, refusing to crumble into his arms like some damsel in distress. “We should probably finish up the repairs,” I suggest. “The meeting is going to start soon.”_

_He frowns in response, revealing his disapproval with my trivializing of the situation. I close my eyes for a moment, reminding myself that I’m angry with myself and the men who violated me, not Bruce. Opening my eyes, I close the distance between us, my eyes softening as I stop before him._

_“I’m sorry, Bruce,” I softly say._

_His frown fades as he tentatively reaches out with a gauntleted hand to caress my cheek, a sense of peace that he has brought me since all this happened washing over me once more. He leans in and presses his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my face._

_“No more apologies, Princess. You never have to ask for my forgiveness for anything,” he tells me, softly brushing his lips against mine in a sweet kiss. “I promise you that we’ll find our way through this together no matter how long it takes. You’re not getting rid of me.”_

_I can’t help the way the corners of my mouth curve with overwhelming relief. “I’m glad,” I confess, “although I might end up accidently breaking you if you’re not careful.”_

_He snorts in amusement, clearly unruffled by my fear. “Please, Princess,” he replies as his hand slides from my face to the back of my head, his fingers weaving into my hair with a familiarity that we have yet to truly share. It just feels so natural…so perfect. “I’ve handled much worse than an angry Amazon. I’m pretty certain if I can handle Darkseid I can handle you.”_

_“Are you comparing me to a sadistic alien monster?” I question him._

_He chuckles softly as he releases his hold on me, slipping his cowl back on. “Not at all,” he maintains with a smirk. “Just making a point.”_

_“Superman to Wonder Woman.”_

_“This is Wonder Woman,” I respond, somewhat annoyed with the intrusion._

_“Are you two ready for the meeting?” Superman asks. “We’d like to get started soon.”_

_“We’re on our way,” I confirm as I begin to make my way towards the exit. “Kal wants to get the meeting started.”_

_“Does he know he’s interrupting my date with my girlfriend?” he teases with a rasp._

_I can’t help but chuckle in response despite still feeling uneasy about how easily and quickly I had lost control. I have to rein in this anger that seethes inside of me before I completely lose it. I cannot allow myself to become blinded by the resentment and pain that lives within me now. I need to bury this, make everyone realize that I’m fine…that I’m still me._

_“You are not just an Amazon, my little sun and stars, but a princess as well…an example for your sisters. You must never allow your pain to show…”_

_Mother’s words invade my mind as we enter the new Founders’ conference room, I find everyone already waiting for us, their expressions somber. All eyes are on me as I make my way to my chair, Batman right behind me. I put on my mask to put them all at ease, not wanting any special attention._

_“Diana, it’s good to have you back,” Kal readily greets me with a warm smile._

_I internally cringe, wishing we could just get past all of this, but I know I have a part to play to make sure they know I’m fine. “Thank you, Kal,” I reply with a smile. “It’s good to be back again.”_

_“It’s been so boring around here without you, Di,” Flash pipes up, a grin on his face._

_“I’m sorry, Wally,” I apologize. “I’m back now and ready to get to work.”_

_“We don’t want you to push yourself too hard, Diana,” Kal interjects with a frown. “Take your time easing back into things again. You still have to be cleared by J’onn and Bruce to return to active duty, but it’s good to have you back anyway.”_

_My fingers curl around the arms of my chair as I try to suppress the anger churning in my gut. I don’t need their pity and I definitely don’t need to be coddled. “I assure you that I’m fine, Kal,” I bite out the words a little harsher than I had intended. “I’m ready to resume my duties again now so can we please just move forward with things?”_

_The room grows very quiet, the tension noticeable. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice how Bruce and J’onn share a look. It’s more than obvious they’re having their own private, telepathic conversation. It only serves to fuel my annoyance._

_Kal clears his throat, finally deciding to proceed. “Well, we’re glad that you’re doing so well, Di,” he continues. “Now, let’s start with the first item I have on the agenda. We need to make sure that everything is in place when the new recruits and the civilian staff arrive in a couple of weeks. John, how are the rotation schedules coming?”_

_I immediately tune out the meeting as I force myself to meditate in an effort to temper the unwanted emotions storming through me. The world, my teammates and friends, Bruce—they all expect me to be the bright and shining beacon of hope known as Wonder Woman, always in control and full of compassion and light._

_That is what I have to give them in order to convince them that I’m all right, to make them stop worrying about me and stop looking at me as if I’m broken. No matter what happens I have to prove to them I’m completely fine. I have to wall off this pain and anger inside for them no matter what it takes._

_It is the Amazon way._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Watchtower; April 6th, 13:41 EST_ **

The Watchtower is buzzing with activity as I make my way through the halls. Dressed in civilian clothing, I seem to catch the attention of everyone I pass, but I don’t make eye contact, keeping my focus straight ahead of me. Entering the commissary, I find that attention doesn’t diminish in the least.

I can feel all eyes on me as I head towards the iced mocha machine. I’m sure the gossip mill is at an all time high with my recent punishment. Being taken off all missions and relegated to nothing but monitor duty tends to raise more than a few eyebrows and countless questions.

I make sure my expression is pleasant despite the anger that simmers in my core, the resentment that I feel with being treated like some child by my very own friends…by the man that I love. My pride has taken a violent blow, but I will not back down or cower in the shadows. I’m an Amazon. I will not go down without a fight.

A burst of air on my left is my only warning before I’m confronted by Flash. “Wondy!” he cries in obvious excitement. “I’m so happy to you see!”

He’s practically vibrating as he bounces on the balls of his feet. His grin is huge and normally infectious, but now is not one of those times. I’m furious with my teammates for betraying me and backing Kal and Bruce. “Flash,” I coolly acknowledge as I place a cup beneath the iced mocha nozzle.

He picks up on my mood and immediately freezes, almost afraid of moving or saying the wrong thing. He nervously begins to rub the back of his neck. “I’ve…uh…really missed you,” he softly admits. "We never get to hang out anymore like we used to.”

“Well, seeing how I’m no longer allowed to actually be Wonder Woman and go on missions, I have plenty of time on my hands now thanks to you and Bruce,” I bluntly state.

His shoulders sag as he nervously shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “Yah, I’m truly sorry about that, but we’re really worried about you, Di. We want you to get better. You haven’t been the same since…”

His voice trails off and the tension simmering between us is near suffocating. I hate it with every fiber of my being, wishing we could all just get past this and move on. “Since I was kidnapped and assaulted,” I finish for him. “You can say it, Flash. I won’t break.”

I turn on my heel with my iced mocha in hand, making a beeline for the door. I’ve had more than enough socializing for one day. Exiting the comm, I nearly plough right into Kal. He spontaneously wraps his arms around me in a bear hug to keep me from falling. I instantly stiffen with the unexpected restriction in my movements, terror spiking through me. I swiftly pull out of his hold on me, fighting to calm my racing heart.

“Diana, I was just coming to find you,” he tells me with a warm smile.

Thankfully a measure of the hurt is gone from his eyes when he looks at me now. “I hear you’re my babysitter while Bruce is gone,” I icily state.

Kal looks away with a sheepish expression, knowing he’s in deep trouble. “Can we please go somewhere private and talk?” he asks.

“I can’t,” I reply. “I have monitor duty in fifteen minutes. Remember? It’s the only thing I’m allowed to do now within the League.”

“Red Tornado is covering your shift for you,” he reveals. “I thought maybe you and I could catch up. I haven’t had a chance to really talk to you in forever. I want to know how things are going for you.”

“Fine, let’s talk,” I agree, more than anxious to share my displeasure with the way that Bruce and Kal are ganging up on me.

He looks as uneasy as Wally just did a few moments ago. “Let’s go to the arboretum,” he suggests as he begins to walk away. “It should be unoccupied this time of day.”

I fall in step beside him as we head to the upper viewing deck, wondering just how far Kal plans on taking this talk he wants to have. We always shared a special bond of friendship, but that bond has been strained ever since my kidnapping.

It’s bad enough that everyone treats me like a fragile piece of china, but to have to endure it from my best friend is more than I can take. At least Bruce doesn’t treat me like I’m going to shatter at any moment. Still, he looks at me as if I’m a broken soul in need of healing. What I need is for everything to be like it was before.

Kal makes small talk about Metropolis and Lois as we head towards the arboretum, the smell of the trees and the flora instantly assaulting my senses as we enter. It provides a soothing respite, a calming eye in the middle of the violent cyclone swirling inside of me.

It almost feels normal hearing him tell me about how things are going between him and Lois. For a moment, I can pretend that things are normal once more. There is no tainted past…no haunting memories that I’m trying so desperately to escape from, no Ian Callahan or Declan McCaffrey, no assault or torture and no barriers standing between me and the man that I love.

Finding a bench near a large viewing window, I sit down on one end, taking a sip of my drink as Kal sits down on the other end. A few feet separate us, but it might as well be miles stretching between us because that’s exactly what it feels like to me. It’s what it feels like with everyone that I care about including Bruce.

“Di, I…” he begins, pausing to draw a deep breath before he continues as if he’s trying to steel himself for what he’s about to say to me.

“Kal, you don’t have to do this,” I interrupt him, coming to his rescue. “Things will never be right again so there’s no use in pretending they will be.”

“What’s happening to you?” he asks me as he turns incredibly sad eyes on me, revealing how broken up he is inside about what I’ve been struggling to deal with.

“I’m fine, Kal,” I try to reassure him, something that we’ve discussed ad nauseum. “Everyone acts like I’m about to shatter into a million pieces. I wish you would all just stop treating me like that.”

“Something is very wrong, Diana,” he softly says, his voice filled with such anguish that it causes my own throat to constrict. “You seem like you’re filled with so much anger and hurt, but you refuse to deal with it.”

“I am dealing with it,” I maintain as I stare into my cup.

“Refusing to talk to anyone about the trauma you went through is not dealing with it,” he counters, his frustration breaking through. “All of us are very concerned about you. Bruce is beside himself with worry. He puts up a strong front, but I know he’s barely holding it together.”

My every muscle tenses as I try to control the tremble of fury roiling through me. I can feel it swelling like a thunderhead threatening to burst open at any second. “I’ll try harder,” I bite out the words as I stare straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact with him.

The feel of his hand taking mine makes me want to run away, but I keep myself firmly planted where I am. He’ll only follow me and force me to finish this. I just want this over with so I can go to the training room and vent these dark emotions that are eating me alive from the inside out.

I hate it…hate what I’m becoming, how it’s affecting everything and everyone around me. I have to work through this one way or another because I’m so sick of looking up from the bottom of a very black pit and seeing nothing but darkness all around me. There doesn’t feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, nothing to grab hold of with all that I am. Bruce has been my anchor of sorts, but I know that not even he can possibly hold me together forever without me ending up resenting him. This is something that I need to come to terms with on my own.

“You don’t have to do this alone,” he reminds me, breaking me free from my tumultuous thoughts. “Bruce is in love with you, Diana. I’ve never seen him so happy or content in all the years that I’ve known him and it’s all because of you.

“You being taken and assaulted has completely rocked both of your worlds. You need each other now more than ever before. Just please talk to him…talk to J’onn or me. We all care about you and want to help you.”

“I can’t talk about it,” I state, a single tear appearing out of nowhere and escaping against my will. I feel it slowly trickling down my cheek. I angrily wipe it away, ashamed at showing weakness in front of him. 

I had promised myself that I wouldn’t break in front of anyone and especially not in front of my teammates. I’m resolved to carry this on my own. It is my battle to fight, my wounds to carry—no one else’s. It was my decision to protect Bruce and I alone will deal with the consequences of that decision.

Bruce has suffered so much in his life starting with the loss of his parents, enduring such tremendous heartache and numerous broken relationships. I refuse to lay the weight of what happened to me on him too. He already carries so much guilt over my kidnapping that I refuse to add to it.

I only ever wanted to make him happy, to show him the love that he truly deserves. Causing him more pain by revealing the things that happened to me is the last thing that I want to do to him. He believes that there is nothing but darkness in him as it is without being consumed by my own.

The squeezing pressure on my hand and the sudden sound of Kal’s voice reminds me that I’m not alone. “Diana, you’re going to have to talk about it with someone,” he tells me. “Keeping it all locked up inside of you is slowly destroying you. Look at what it has done to Bruce over the years. How many times has he told us that he’s fine when we all knew that he was far from it? It’s only because of you that he’s been slowly starting to come out from behind that damn wall of his. Talking to him could really help the both of you.”

I quickly shake my head, pulling my hand free from his hold before leaping to my feet. I walk to the window to stare at the brilliant blue and green planet before me, knowing that he was out there somewhere risking his life yet again to save a friend’s daughter. It only makes me love him even more.

I can feel movement, Kal coming to stand behind me and I instantly stiffen. It feels suffocating in here, the walls pressing in all around me and I just want to run. I keep reminding myself that I’m an Amazon. We don’t run from a fight or trouble of any kind.

It’s becoming more and more difficult to remember when my own gods have abandoned me just like my mother and sisters did the day that my queen banished me from the only home that I’ve ever known. I feel so alone especially with Bruce undercover. I wish he was here, but then I remember how he rejected me yesterday and the anger and humiliation returns with a vengeance.

“Bruce and I have been talking,” Kal finally reveals as if I didn’t already know it. “Until you get the help that you need, we can’t let you return to active duty.”

“This isn’t about dealing with my kidnapping,” I snap, rubbing my arms as my thoughts take me back to my last mission over a week and a half ago. “It’s about Luthor.”

“It’s about both,” he claims. “You’ve become far more aggressive since your return to the League six months ago. You’re having trouble controlling your temper, pouring your anger into every fight and throwing yourself into needless danger. You’ve incurred far more injuries over the last six months than you have in the previous year.” 

“You of all people cannot deny the fact that Luthor deserved everything that he got,” I fume.

“I can’t deny that I’ve crossed the line before when it came to Lex Luthor, but we cannot allow ourselves to become judge, jury, and executioner or we’re no better than the Justice Lords.”

“He’s alive,” I point out with a scowl.

“You put him in the ICU. Bruce and I had to pull you off him before you killed him,” he nearly yells as his patience finally runs out. “You’re starting to really scare me. This is not who you are, Diana…not the person that I’ve come to know and love as my best friend.”

He abruptly turns and grabs hold of my hands, pulling them away from my arms. He shoves my left sleeve up to reveal the deep scratches embedded in my skin. The look of sorrow that fills his face is too much to see, forcing me to avert my eyes.

“This is not you, Diana!” he yells. “This is a huge red flag that says you need help. Bruce and I are not going to just watch you repeatedly hurt yourself and not do something to try to help you.”

“Maybe it would be better if I just leave for a while,” I retort, yanking my arm free.

His shock quickly melts away his furious expression as he stares at me in stunned disbelief. “You’re going to run away from this…from Bruce and your friends?” he asks with incredulity as he shakes his head. “Sounds more like a coward than an Amazon to me.”

Without a second thought, I slap him hard across the face, not tempering my strength. His head snaps to the side with the force of my strike. My chest is heaving with the heat coursing through my veins. “How dare you accuse me of being a coward,” I seethe. “You have no right to say such a thing to me. You have no idea what I’ve been going through.”

“I’m so sorry, Diana,” he softly apologizes, his chin falling to his chest in unmistakable shame. “I was wrong to accuse you like that. Please...forgive me. I don’t want you to leave. Stay so we can try to work things out together.”

He pulls me into a crushing hold, burying his face in my hair as he tightens his grip on me. I slowly raise my arms to return his embrace, feeling heartbroken at the hurt that I’ve caused. I allow my head to rest on his shoulder, my eyes falling closed as I once again suppress the tears that beg for release.

Even if I did leave, I have no place to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I love how this turned out. I hope you enjoyed it too even though it's rather sad. I just love how everyone loves Diana and cares about her, especially Bruce. Her friendship with Kal is something that I like to write.
> 
> UP NEXT: Very sweet Bruce/Diana moment and a Diana & Alfred talk. In the present, Bruce checks in on Diana while undercover and Alfred is there again for Diana in a very touching scene.
> 
> Thank you to all of you who review, fave, or follow my fic. This fic series holds a special place in my heart b/c it's so different from anything I've ever written and I'm very proud of it. Seeing your enthusiasm for it makes me so happy!
> 
> Started working on this year's Christmas fic. It's set 5yrs after A Baby or Two for Christmas so be looking for that little treat on Christmas Day! :)


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_**Batcave; October 29th, 17:44 EST** _

_I descend into the dank haven that lives beneath Wayne Manor, more than ready to do some much needed training. I have to do everything that I can to hone my skills and make sure my body is in perfect condition once again. The sooner I prove myself to Bruce and my teammates, the sooner they’ll let me resume my duties within the League._

_It’s going to be difficult to do that with how much everyone is still worried about me. They practically hover over me, afraid that I’m going to crack. I feel that I’ve handled things very well, keeping up a pleasant façade in order to conceal the dark turmoil I still feel churning inside of me. I know it’s going to take time to sort through all of these warring feelings, but, in the meantime, I refuse to cause any more concern over me._

_It’s hard, though, with my mind swirling with thoughts and fears about that poor college student who was taken the other night. I can’t stop the shiver of dread that rolls through me as thoughts of my own experience roar to the surface of my mind like a violent tidal wave, bent on crushing me, but I will not be beaten down by this._

_Approaching the platform, I spot Bruce working at his computer, no doubt doing everything that he can think of to find her in time. He always works so hard, pushing himself and giving everything that he has in order to protect others, to save his beloved city. It’s one of the things that first attracted me to him. He’s the most selfless of us all._

_“Princess,” he greets me without turning around as I float up to where he is perched in his command chair before his bank of computer screens._

_It never ceases to amaze me how he always knows I’m there long before it seems humanly possible. Despite being a mere mortal man, there is absolutely nothing average about him. He is the most extraordinary man that I’ve ever met, intriguing me and capturing my attention from the moment I first laid eyes on him._

_He’s so different from the others, a captivating mystery that I’m so anxious to unravel. Each layer I peel away always reveals something new and so unexpected about the man that I find myself falling harder and harder for. I tried to fight it, but I’ve discovered that it’s one battle this Amazon is not going to win._

_“Any luck finding that missing girl?” I ask as I come to stand beside him, placing a hand on his upper back._

_I hear any almost imperceptible sigh and I’m not quite certain if it’s because of my touch or his frustration with the case. He sits back in his chair as I run my hand over his upper back before coming to rest on the nape of his neck. I lightly stroke the black strands I find there as I stare at the computer screens spread out before us._

_“Another girl was taken last night,” he admits and I feel the muscles of his neck tighten even more as my stomach drops into my shoes._

_“So it’s probably not an isolated incident…is it?” I question him._

_“No…probably not,” he somberly agrees. “I’m afraid a pattern is already beginning to develop.”_

_“What kind of pattern?” I ask with a frown._

_He pulls up two pictures on one of the other screens, one of a girl named Willow Stevens, another of Ashley Collier. “They look like they could almost be sisters,” I comment as I study the pictures of the beautiful young girls. “Both have blond hair, blue eyes…beautiful.”_

_“Exactly,” he replies, “and they were both taken at night when they were walking back to their dorm rooms.”_

_I move towards the computer screen to get a better look at some of the other files that he has pulled up, my hand slipping free from his neck only to be swiftly captured in his. He laces his fingers with mine in an almost possessive way, his thumb caressing the back of my hand. I feel a gentle tug and I turn to look at him._

_“Please, don’t get wrapped up in this case,” he pleads with me, pulling me to sit in his lap._

_I willingly comply, settling in his lap as his muscular arms snake around me and hold me close to him. It feels like a warm cocoon enveloping me as I relax into his embrace. I love the feel of him surrounding me like this. It feels a little perplexing allowing myself to submit to a man’s desire to hold me, surrendering a small measure of control despite the fact I can break him if I wanted to._

_My Amazonian pride and need to be in control winces, but I quickly squash those feelings because at the same time it feels so very right…so perfect. I never dreamed that being with him would feel this amazing, filling me with such contentment and happiness._

_I can’t help the nervous tingle that races up my spine as he lightly begins to run his fingers through my hair. I lean a little more into his chest and shoulder, feeling the pull of sleep instantly taking over. I haven’t slept more than a handful of hours at night since returning to the manor, my sleep plagued with so many nightmares._

_“Bruce, you worry far too much,” I reply, suppressing a yawn. “I want you to talk to me about your cases. I want to be able to help you in any way I can.”_

_“I know, but I also don’t want you to be reminded of what you went through,” he confesses, his lips curving into a disconcerting frown. “You need to take some time for yourself right now.”_

_“I appreciate that, but I’m sure this case isn’t easy for you either,” I remind him, my fingers sliding back into place at the nape of his neck to stroke his hair again._

_“Don’t worry about me,” he reassures me as he clicks on another file. “This is what I do.”_

_I know that he’s trying to put aside his own emotions in order to solve this case before any more girls are taken, but I can already tell that it’s proving to be more than difficult for him to do. I lean my head against his shoulder, my other hand coming to rest against his muscular chest in hopes of helping him relax._

_I feel his heart begin to beat a little faster, a little harder as I caress him through the thin cotton fabric of his t-shirt. My fingernails lightly trace over each dip and curve, coming across scars and old wounds. I find myself intrigued by his reaction to the simplest touch or the slightest shift of my position on his lap._

_Is it how I’m touching him that’s making him react or because it’s me doing it? Could it be a combination of both?_

_Whatever the answer is I’m more than anxious to continue my exploration, to map out each and every inch of his body and to know it better than my own. I want to know what helps him relax, what soothes him, and what makes him so very excited. Unfortunately, he wants to take things slow between us right now especially after everything that has just happened to me._

_I know that he fears pushing me too far too fast, but I know what I feel for him and I can’t wait to explore what has been growing between us for so long now. It feels like invisible tendrils have been steadily winding their way through us and around us, slowly binding us together over the last several months. It only seems to be growing stronger and I can’t wait to physical express what simmers so strongly within me._

_“Do you have any suspects yet?” I ask as I continue my methodical exploration, noticing how his breathing is becoming a little more labored, his muscles becoming a little more tense._

_“No…not yet,” he confesses, his voice vibrating beneath me as I curl even more of myself against him, my nose and lips nuzzling his throat. “This isn’t like…any of my usual Gotham criminals.”_

_He seems to be having some trouble connecting his thoughts as he studies the files he’s brought up on the computer screen. His hand continually rubs my back and I can feel him growing more aroused beneath me. To my disappointment, his other hand finds mine on his chest and wordlessly pulls it away from his chest. He laces his fingers with mine and holds my hand firmly in my lap, keeping me from exploring any further._

_I smile to myself knowing that I am definitely having an effect on him. At the same time, I’m disappointed that he stopped me before we could go any further. He also doesn’t offer up any explanation for deterring me or for not wanting to let things progress naturally between us._

_“This whole case is just bizarre,” he continues as he runs his fingers up and down my spine. “There was nothing left behind but their backpacks and their cell phones. There were no clues, no ransom notes…nothing.”_

_“There has to be some reason that they’re targeting these girls,” I reply, suppressing another yawn. “What do you think they want them for?”_

_I feel him grow tense and I know that whatever he thinks they want with these girls is not good. “You don’t want to know what I think,” he softly says._

_He pulls up more files, explaining how he had approached both crime scenes. His baritone voice is soothing as he methodically describes what he found and what he didn’t find as well as the measures they were taking at Gotham University to increase security._

_The sound of his voice and the feel of his hand rubbing my back prove too difficult to fight as I feel the pull of sleep increasing. I allow myself to close my eyes for just a brief moment, hoping that he doesn’t notice, but I can resist no longer._

_“We’re going to try a new game today, my beor,” Callahan tells me as he comes closer with a cattle prod gripped tightly in his hand. “You’re going to tell me everything I want to know about Bruce Wayne and what you’ve learned about Ash. If you don’t…well, I’m sure you can figure it out.”_

_I open my eyes a few moments later with a sharp gasp as I feel hands stroking me, teeth digging into my flesh, an electrical current shooting through me. I sit up to find myself lying on the medical bed in the Batcave, a blanket pulled over me. I rub my face in confusion to find it dark save for the glow of light coming from the platform area._

_Pushing the blanket aside, I move to sit on the edge of the bed, leaning forward to hold my head in my hands. I swear that I had only closed my eyes for a handful of moments, unsure of how I got over to the bed. I know Bruce had to have put me here, but how did I miss feeling him carrying me?_

_Raking my fingers through my hair, I get up and make my way to the platform to look for Bruce only to find him not there. I check the time on the computer, stunned to find that it’s already well after midnight. Bruce has been gone for hours and I never even knew it._

_Feeling guilty about falling asleep on him, I make my way upstairs, deciding that I should try to eat something. I have to fully regain my strength and the weight that I lost so everyone will stop being so concerned about how frail I look. I just hope I can keep it down this time._

_I roughly run my hands up and down the length of my arms, swearing I can still feel invisible fingers running over my body. I shudder with the nauseating sensation, feeling so utterly out of control and unable to stop it. I hope and pray that Bruce finds those girls before they have to endure what I went through._

_Entering the manor, I silently make my way to the kitchen, finding a note on the counter written by Alfred to let me know he put my supper in the refrigerator for me. With a faint smile on my lips, I retrieve my plate and place it in the microwave._

_I smile to myself as I recall how I had tried to warm-up meals for Bruce and myself after coming back from a mission just before I was taken. I had only set it for thirty seconds, forcing Bruce to reheat them for longer. The expression on his face had been priceless when he had tasted it to find it still cold._

_I miss the easiness we had shared less than a month ago, how close we had been growing since I moved into the manor. While we’re obviously attracted to and interested in each other, there feels like there’s an invisible barrier that separates us, one that I can’t begin to cross or erase. I’m hoping with time it’ll gradually disappear, but I fear it might never leave._

_The beeping of the microwave brings me back to the moment. Taking it out, I make my way to the barstools where we had sat, wishing he was here with me now. I loved the feel of being wrapped up in him like I was when I’d fallen asleep. I wish now that I’d been able to stay awake to enjoy it longer._

_“Miss Diana,” Alfred greets me as enters the kitchen, tying the belt of his bathrobe around his waist. “Did you sleep well?”_

_“Yes, thank you,” I reply as I pick up my fork. “I feel bad that I slept through dinner and Bruce leaving for patrol.”_

_“Don’t, my dear,” he tells me as he reaches for two tea cups. “You obviously needed the sleep and Master Bruce was more than content to just hold you while you slept.”_

_I look up from my plate in stunned disbelief, my surprise evident. “What?”_

_“I had to serve him dinner down in the cave,” he informs me. “He refused to move until it was absolutely necessary for him to leave for patrol.”_

_“He did?” I murmur, touched by his actions._

_“Yes, miss,” he maintains as he fills the tea kettle with water. “He left for patrol a little after ten.”_

_“I can’t believe he did that,” I softly say as I stare at my plate of untouched food._

_“I can,” Alfred admits with a gentle smile. “He cares for you very much, Miss Diana…more than he has ever cared for another woman.”_

_I swallow hard, amazed by the revelation. He’s been with so many women, some of them seriously. To think that he cares so much for me fills me with overwhelming love for this man. I’ve seen a side of him that has been hinted at, but now I get to experience._

_“I care about him very much too,” I confess. “I never thought I’d find myself falling in love with a man, but now I can’t imagine feeling this way about anyone else.”_

_“I believe his feelings for you took him by surprise too, but I saw it coming for quite some time,” he informs me._

_My brow furrows as he hands me a cup of tea. “You did?” I ask, stunned. “How?”_

_“Oh, yes,” he confirms with a nod as he takes a seat across from me at the counter, his cup of tea between his hands. “When Master Bruce would return from a League mission, he never talked about anything but you. It was never about how well the mission went or any of the other teammates—only you._

_“It was always how well you fought or how many lives you saved or how skilled you are. I believe that he was impressed with you from the very beginning. Of course, you know it’s never a full-fledged conversation when it comes to Master Bruce. It’s like pulling teeth to get the littlest piece of information out of him, but over the last two years I’ve been able to piece together quite a picture of what was going on in that head of his.”_

_I release a sigh as I poke at my food with the tines of my fork. “I just wish we could get back to where we were before I was taken,” I admit. “It feels like there’s a divide separating us now.”_

_His hand comes into my line of sight, settling over my left. “Give it time, Miss Diana,” he encourages me. “What you were forced to endure was horrific and I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I know how those five days you were gone nearly destroyed Master Bruce, but you both will get through this. You just need to give yourselves some time to heal.”_

_“I hope you’re right,” I reply, sounding as unconvinced as I feel._

_He squeezes my hand before withdrawing it. “We’re all here for you,” he assures me. “There is no one here who doesn’t care deeply for you or doesn’t want to help you recover. You know I’m always here, ready to lend an ear. Of course, Master Bruce might start to get jealous if he finds you spending too much time with me.”_

_I can’t help but laugh in response. “Thank you, Alfred,” I say. “I appreciate that.”_

_“Now, eat up, miss,” he instructs me. “We need to put some meat back on those bones of yours and then it’s up to bed for you.”_

_“Yes, sir,” I reply with a grin._

_He responds with a warm smile before taking his tea cup in hand. “Good night, Miss Diana.”_

_“Good night, Alfred,” I murmur as he leaves, my mind filled with thoughts of Bruce and hopes that he returns soon._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Batcave; April 6th, 23:54 EST_ **

Sitting in Bruce’s chair, I lean forward, cupping my chin as I continue to read through the countless pages of information that he’s accumulated on all of the missing girls so far. I know that he has banned me from the case, but that’s still not going to keep me from trying to help.

I know that Bruce will be furious when he finds out I’ve been working on the case, but he doesn’t understand that I need to do this not only for these young women who are going through untold horrors but also for myself as well. In helping them, I’m doing battle with my own demons, hopefully abolishing them once and for all so I can restore something that I lost of myself in the midst of all of this.

I glance at the clock again, hoping that Bruce will check in soon. He promised to contact me tonight and I don’t want to miss it. I’m anxious to hear his voice, to know that he’s all right and if he’s found anything yet. I can’t deny the dread that’s been sitting in the pit of my stomach since he left last night or the tremors of panic that appear without warning.

We didn’t exactly leave each other on good terms. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still hurt by his rejection, my pride stinging painfully from the blow. I wish now I hadn’t let him go without telling him that I love him. Instead, I allowed him to leave with my anger and hurt weighing on his heart and mind. My chin falls to my chest as sorrow nearly overwhelms me, silent pleas to my gods for protection over him drifting through my mind. 

Despite my grief, there’s still a part of me that is mad at Kal as well as Bruce for uniting against me. I knew they had been talking about me behind my back, discussing my current broken state. I should’ve guessed that they’d end up siding together against me. 

With Bruce gone, it was only a matter of time before Kal would try to talk to me; attempt to fix me so I would be the old Diana again. No one seems to understand that Diana is gone and is never coming back. A piece of her was left behind in that warehouse that I’ll never get back, taken by Callahan and MacCaffrey.

I’m angry that someone killed Callahan before he could answer for what he did to me, but Declan still awaits trial. I was looking forward to Jason Trask being the one to lead the prosecution team against Declan until I learned that Jason took a personal leave of absence. Bruce told me that he’d been a wreck after I was taken, turning to alcohol and spiraling out of control.

I feel horrible about Jason. He is a good man and, though I don’t share his feelings for me, a friend. I know I should try to find out where he went and visit him, but I’ve been a little distracted with trying to get my own life back on track. 

I’ve considered going to visit Declan in jail, to hopefully get some of the closure that I so desperately need, but I’m too afraid that I won’t be able to control myself and I’ll end up snapping his neck. I can’t risk blowing my secret identity by throttling the man who abused me no matter how much I’d love to.

The sound of an alert on the computer causes me to look up sharply, relief washing through me as I find an incoming call from Bruce. I push the key, so many words getting stuck in my throat as I struggle to decide what to say first to him, but he beats me to it. 

“Princess,” he tentatively utters his favorite moniker for me, his voice low and unsure. “It’s me.”

“Are you all right?” I softly ask, almost afraid to test my voice. I already miss him so much.

“I’m fine,” he reassures me, his voice so quiet it’s difficult to determine his mood or if he’s really telling me the truth.

“How much longer will you have to be gone?”

Several moments pass before he finally answers. “I’m not sure,” he informs me. “I’m hoping only one more day, but it could be another two days…possibly more.”

I feel my heart sink with the news. Every hour that he’s away feels like an eternity. “Have you found anything yet?”

“Maybe,” he replies. “I’m going to have to go dark for several hours…at least until this time tomorrow night.”

“I don’t like this,” I admit, unable to hide my fear. “I don’t have a good feeling about any of this.”

“I know, but I have to in order to find Emily and the others,” he reminds me. “Ethan is counting on me to find his daughter and I’m not going to let him down. I know what he’s going through and I need to save him as much pain as I can.”

“Where are you?” I ask. “I’ll come help you.”

“No, Diana,” he firmly states, a hard edge to his tone as he raises his voice. “I can’t focus on finding these girls and worry about you at the same time. This is turning out to be far more dangerous than I’d first believed.”

I instantly prickle with his words, my indignation and anger flaring. “You don’t have to worry about me or hold my hand,” I insist. “I can take care of myself.”

I hear him release a long breath, clearly unconvinced. I can picture the expression on his face without even having to really try. “We both know you haven’t been yourself since you were taken. You’re not ready to be out in the field again.”

“I’m fine,” I maintain. “You know how well we work together. I can help you find these girls better than anyone else.”

“I’m not having this argument with you right now,” he angrily snaps, his weariness more than evident. “I just wanted to check in and let you know that I might be gone a little longer than I had originally planned.”

“Fine,” I ground out the words, my hands curling into fists.

A long, tense silence follows as we both struggle with things that we want to say but can’t at that moment. It feels like the barrier between us is widening once more, pushing us further apart. I sit forward to hold my head in my hands, wanting nothing more than to abolish this divide that separates us, to run to him and never let him go, but I don’t know how to do it anymore.

“I’m sorry,” I finally murmur.

“I know, Princess,” he softly says. “We’ll talk when I come home. I promise we’ll figure this out together.”

“Bruce, I lo—”

“I’ve got to go,” he abruptly interrupts me before I can get the words out that I need to tell him, a shuffling sound in the background.

“No, please wait!” I yell, but the line is dead. He’s no longer there.

I keep myself from slamming my fist into the desk, knowing that I’d only destroy it. Why does it feel like every time we try to take one step forward together as a couple we end up five steps back? Will we ever be granted a reprieve from this madness that seems to follow us everywhere we go and just have a chance at love?

I’ve prayed to Aphrodite for guidance and for a chance for Bruce and me to work everything out, but it feels as though my own gods have forsaken me. I have done everything that they’ve wanted, representing them and my sisters to the best of my abilities and constantly risking my life only to have them turn their backs on me now when I need them the most.

It only causes my loneliness to increase tenfold as I sit all alone in the silence of the Batcave. With Bruce gone, it feels so empty here…I feel empty. I close my eyes as I hold my head in my hands, angry with myself for so many things. I wanted to tell Bruce how much I loved him and instead we ended up arguing again.

Tears prick my eyes, but I push them away. I feel like I’m drowning in a stormy sea, so violent and crushing. I keep reaching for anything that can save me from being pulled under, but everything keeps slipping through my fingers.

Thoughts of my mother rise to the surface of my mind, adding to my loneliness. At the same time, it also causes my shame to grow. She would be so disappointed with me with how I’ve handled what has happened to me. While I’ve tried so hard to deal with all of this as an Amazon should, I only find myself sinking lower and lower into a chasm without end.

_“You aren’t going to win this time, Phillipus,” I threaten with a grin as I swing my sword._  
“That’s what you think, little one,” she taunts me.  
“I am not little,” I grind out the words as I muster as much anger as a six year old can in order to appear intimidating.  
“You are still a little girl, princess,” Phillipus goads me again. “You can barely control your sword let alone your temper.”  
With a cry of rage on my lips, I lunge at her, taking her momentarily by surprise. Her sword comes up at the last second to block my strike, the blade slicing my arm. I immediately drop my sword as tears pour from my eyes, blood running down my arm.  
Mother is suddenly at my side, kneeling down to look at my wound. “It’ll be all right. Now, chin up, my sun and stars,” she tells me. “A warrior doesn’t cry or show weakness.” 

 

“Miss Diana,” Alfred gently calls to me.

“Yes, Alfred?”

“Are you all right, miss?”

“I don’t know anymore, Alfred,” I softly reply as I continue to hold my head, my elbows resting on the desk.

“Have you spoken with Master Bruce? Is he all right?”

“Yes, he’s fine,” I reveal as I raise my head, turning to face him. “He’s probably going to be gone a couple more days…maybe more.”

“I see,” he says with a nod. His face is filled with concern just as it always has been over the last several months when he looks at me. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Will you sit with me for a few minutes?” I find myself asking without even realizing it, the words escaping my mouth before I can stop them.

“Always,” he replies, pulling one of the chairs over to sit next to me.

I reach over and take hold of his hand, probably holding it a little firmer than I should. He covers our joined hands with his other, a small smile on his lips. We sit there in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes before I finally speak.

“It feels like everything is crumbling around me, Alfred,” I choke out the words that I’ve kept bottled up inside of me for so long. “I don’t know which way is up anymore.”

“I know, my dear,” he tells me, his eyes growing moist and shining brightly. “I wish there was something I could do to make it all better for you.”

“I do too,” I agree with a nod. “Everything that I’ve ever believed in…everything that I’ve ever believed about myself has been shaken to its very foundation. It feels as though there’s nothing beneath my feet to stand on anymore.”

“You are not alone in this, young lady,” he reminds me in a stern, fatherly tone. “I’m always here for you to talk to and Master Bruce wants to help you more than you can begin to imagine. You mean absolutely everything to him. Seeing you struggling like this truly breaks his heart.”

“I know it, but I don’t know what to do,” I confess my failure, my guilt. “The last thing I wanted to do was cause him more heartache, but I feel like that’s all I do anymore. Maybe it would be better if I left for a while.”

“Absolutely not,” he sharply reprimands me as if I am his own child. “I know you believe leaving would make things better, but it would only bring him immeasurable pain not to mention what it would do to the rest of us that care so much about you.”

“I just don’t know how to get past all of this, Alfred,” I whisper the words, afraid that the tears that I’m trying so hard to keep locked inside will escape. “I was taught all my life to bury the pain, to put up a strong front and never let anyone know you’re breaking on the inside, but I’m afraid I’m failing—failing myself, my heritage, my friends…the man that I love.”

“You are not failing anyone, Miss Diana. That is a false perception that no one shares with you,” he states, tightening his hold on my hand. “Just because you were taught something as a child doesn’t necessarily mean it is right or what you need to do now. It might be time to try a different approach.”

“Everyone keeps telling me I need to talk about it, but I can’t,” I reveal. “I don’t want to relive those five days.”

“To relive them might be what you need to do to finally move past them,” he points out. “I know that Master Bruce wants you to open up to him about what you went through.”

I begin to shake my head, panic welling as I consider his advice. “I…I can’t tell him,” I insist. “It’ll only cause him more pain and guilt. I can’t do that to him. There already feels like a huge divide between us. I’m terrified I’ll end up driving him away.”

“But you will need to do just that in order for the two of you to heal and be able to move past this,” he explains. “You’ll never get rid of this barrier between you until you are completely open and honest with each other. I know that you think that what you will tell him will only hurt him more, but it might not be nearly as bad as what he’s been imagining since the moment you were taken.”

I slowly nod in response, knowing in my heart that Alfred is right, but I just need to find a way to reconcile it with my head. I’ll only have a couple of days to figure it all out before Bruce is back. I need to find a way to work through this one way or another because I refuse to give up on what I have with him.

“Please, just think about it, Miss Diana,” Alfred gently tells me as I release my hold on his hand. “If you need someone to try it out on, you know my kitchen is always open to you.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” I softly murmur as he stands to his feet.

I have never backed down from a fight or a challenge and I refuse to back down now even from this. Bruce means too much to me to just let what has been growing between us slip through my fingers without a fight. I am an Amazon warrior and I will fight for this…for him…with all that I am.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I just love the relationship between Diana and Alfred. He's the father that she never had and I love writing it. I also adore how Bruce loves Diana and wants to take care of her even though she doesn't always need it. They're just so cute together!
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana go to a Halloween charities ball. It's the first time Diana goes to a social event since her kidnapping. How will she handle it?
> 
> In the present, a person from Diana's past resurfaces and Diana goes behind Bruce's back to work on the case.
> 
> Be looking for my Christmas fic tomorrow! I'm really happy with how it turned out. I think you'll enjoy it. It's funny, it's sweet, and there's a surprise at the end! :)


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**_Wayne Manor; October 31st, 17:34 EST_ **

_“Are you sure you want to do this?”_

_“Bruce, I’m sure,” I insist._

_“I completely understand if you’re not ready.”_

_“I would tell you if I wasn’t.”_

_“No, you wouldn’t,” he scoffs, disbelief in his tone._

_“You’re right…I wouldn’t,” I confess.”It’s a good thing that I want to do this with you.”_

_“I just want to make sure I’m not pushing you too soon,” he tells me. “We’ve only officially been a couple for about two weeks.”_

_“Bruce, you’re not pushing me into something I don’t want to do,” I reassure him with growing exasperation. “Stop worrying so much or you’re going to give yourself an ulcer.”_

_He releases a breath telling me that he’s not completely convinced. “Fine…if you’re sure,” he relents._

_“I’m positive,” I maintain as I stand before my closet. “Besides, we need to be there tonight to reassure everyone that we have a firm grasp on the charities department.”_

_“I know...you’re right,” he concedes from the other end of the phone. “It’s just that this is your first charity event since your return, Princess. It could get pretty overwhelming with what you’ve been through. There’s also going to be a lot of attention on you as Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend. I just want to make sure you’re ready for the attention.”_

_I frown as my eyes roam over the dress that I bought today for the event tonight, hoping that Bruce likes it. I know tonight is going to be difficult, but I refuse to hide in the manor or shy away from the attention my abduction has garnered in Gotham._

_“I think you should be more worried about how you’re going to find me tonight,” I counter, trying to ease his concern._

_“Diana, I’d know you anywhere,” he flirts._

_I feel my cheeks grow warm with his words, causing me to momentarily bite at my lower lip to keep a grin from fully forming. “I don’t know, Bruce,” I taunt. “It is a masquerade ball and we’re going to be wearing masks tonight.”_

_“You are currently dating the World’s Greatest Detective,” he reminds me. “I will always find you.”_

_Truer words have never been spoken. He did find me when I’m certain that no one else could. The silence grows momentarily tense as we’re both taken back to that moment when he freed me from that rope. It’s not been easy for him either. I know he’s been having nightmares about it though he doesn’t talk about it. I’ve heard him calling out my name in his sleep at night._

_“You don’t even know what I’ll be wearing,” I point out, trying to lighten the mood._

_“Is that a challenge, Princess?”_

_The husky tone of his question sends a shiver through me, the smile returning to my face. “Yes, it is, Dark Knight,” I confirm._

_“Well, I have to go to my last meeting of the day, but I’ll be certain to find you as soon as I arrive.”_

_“We’ll see about that,” I tease. “Bye, Bruce.”_

_I hang up, tossing my cell phone on to my bed before turning my attention to my wardrobe. I smile to myself, more than pleased with what I had chosen to wear tonight. It’s unlike anything that I’ve worn before, hopefully making it that much more difficult for Bruce to recognize me as quickly as he thinks he will._

_With a sense of excitement fluttering in my stomach, I head to the bathroom to take a bubble bath. While there’s a small part of me that is a little apprehensive about tonight, I’m more than anxious to see Bruce’s reaction to my dress and mask._

_Nervous anticipation sends tingles through me as I fill the bathtub with water and rose water. Dating is all so new for me, an experience that I’m trying to navigate by myself. I don’t really have anyone I can turn to talk about it. Shayera and I used to talk about her and John, but now Shayera is gone and I have no other female friends to talk to._

_As I sink into the hot water, I can’t help thinking about how much my life as changed since I left Themyscira for Man’s World. I went from growing up on an island populated by only women to living and fighting alongside men. It’s a little disconcerting at times learning how to adjust to not having another woman to talk to or confide in especially after what I experienced._

_Of course, an Amazon Princess doesn’t talk about what she has endured. I was taught by mother from a very young age to internalize it all, to bury those feelings and to keep a strong façade firmly in place. As royalty, I learned quickly how I was to lead by example, never showing any signs of weakness._

_As I glance down at where the bite barks and burns had once marred my body, I can’t help the wave of nausea that rises up inside of me. I tilt my head back, squeezing my eyes closed against the flashes of memories that I’ve tried so hard to bury and lock away._

_I swear I can still feel the searing pain at times as they attempted to get me to talk, the way my arms burned from having them tied above my head for days on end. Disgust and loathing still swims in my gut with the way they touched and fondled me as if I was nothing but a source of entertainment to them._

_I wonder how Bruce could still find me attractive with some of the things that I’ve told him. If he knew the true extent of what I’d endured, he would surely reject me. That’s why I need to just forget about it, to move on with my life and never look back._

_I have to find a way to put all of this behind me or risk losing Bruce._

**_Gotham; October 31st, 20:33 EST_ **

_I wander about the ballroom, growing more anxious by the minute to see Bruce. I’ve been here for over half an hour and still there has been no sign of him. Taking a sip of my champagne, I surreptitiously allow my gaze to roam around the room, wondering if he’s hiding just to play games with me or if he’s just running late._

_He’d had a late phone conference with Lucius and an overseas business partner in Japan I believe. He was going to do his best to make it a quick call, but I have a feeling it may have gone far longer than he had imagined that it would._

_I’m doing my best to navigate the gala by myself, feeling slightly self-conscious with all the looks I’ve been garnering so far. Many of them have been filled with pity, some with compassion and others with a scandalous air that I don’t have to imagine what they think of me._

_Despite the newspapers’ coverage of my abduction, I’m sure people have come to their own conclusions about what actually happened to me…horribly disgraceful things that the press couldn’t put in print. One person’s active imagination leads to rumors running rampant all over Gotham and I’m suddenly the poor victimized woman that Bruce doesn’t have the heart to kick out of Wayne Manor._

_“Diana, my dear,” Mrs. Brigham greets me, her husband a business associate of Bruce’s. “How are you doing?”_

_“I’m fine,” I reply with a smile that does nothing to reassure the elderly woman before me. Her expression remains benevolent. “How have you been?”_

_“Oh, I’ve been well, but I’m more worried about you, dear,” she coos as if I’m a simple child. “What a terrible ordeal that you went through. I can’t begin to imagine the horrors you faced. Are you sure you’re up to being out in public so soon?”_

_I grit my teeth, forcing my expression to remain pleasant despite the indignation simmering in my veins. “I assure you that I’m fine,” I tell her. “I’m fully recovered and back to work at Wayne Enterprises.”_

_She shakes her head with a sorrowful look, her hand coming to rest on my forearm. “You don’t need to put on a strong face for me, honey. I know what really happened and I understand. I heard that you were quite viciously raped and abused by those nasty men who took you, passing you around for each of them to enjoy. Maybe you should go away for a while, spend some time abroad so you can properly heal without public scrutiny.”_

_“I wasn’t raped,” I reply, my free hand curling into a fist as memories of being assaulted crash over me._

_“That’s okay,” Mrs. Brigham assures me. “I’m sure you don’t want to talk about it. Just remember that denying it isn’t going to help you recover. Excuse me, but I need to go talk to Caroline. You take care of yourself now.”_

_As she walks away, I find that every single muscle in my body is drawn tight with anger—furious with being reminded of what I went through, angered that assumptions have been made that are false. While what I endured was horrific, I thank Hera that it didn’t go quite as far as rape, relieved that I was able to fight back enough to prevent it. These kidnapped GU students might not be as fortunate as I was._

_I finally force my body to relax enough that I’m able to move again, my heart racing. As I move about the room, I catch bits and pieces of conversation that seem to be focused on me. It ranges from sympathy for what I went through to pity for Bruce for being forced to stay with me out of guilt to ludicrous rumors that I’m pregnant and have lost my mind because of the terrible ordeal I suffered._

_I find my grip on my champagne glass tightening nearly to the point of shattering it, my breathing growing erratic. It feels as though I’m being suffocated, the air being sucked out of the room. I need to leave, to run away and escape the pain that being here with these people has resurrected in me._

_Just when I feel as though I can’t take it a moment longer, I feel someone gently grasp my elbow. I instantly freeze, suppressing my warrior instinct to react with my fist. “It’s okay, Princess,” a deep baritone voice so warm and tender against my ear reassures me. “It’s just me.”_

_I release a ragged breath, stopping myself from hitting someone. I slowly turn to look at him, forcing a smile to my face that I don’t feel. He’s not wearing a mask, but I already know why. His expression is one of pure concern as he takes my free hand in his, lacing his fingers with mine._

_“I was worried that you couldn’t figure out which one was me,” I lightly tease in an effort to hide my turbulent emotions._

_“Phone conference ran late, but I have to confess that I’ve been here for about fifteen minutes,” he reveals._

_“So it took you that long to find me?” I ask with a grin, noticing the way that his gaze is roaming over me with unmasked appreciation. It causes a shiver of desire to rake up my spine._

_“No,” he confesses with a crooked smile. “Actually, I spotted you almost immediately. Once I picked my jaw up off the floor, it took time for me to work up the courage to come talk to you.”_

_“Bruce,” I chide with a tilt of my head, pursing my lips in disbelief. “You did not.”_

_“You have no idea how absolutely beautiful you look tonight,” he tells me with a sincerity that I have no doubt about. I can see the appreciation and truth of it reflecting in his eyes._

_I glance down at the black lace column dress that I chose to wear, the edges of my matching winged mask sneaking into my periphery. I’m thrilled that he loves the dress that I picked, my lips curling with pleasure. I wish that we could be alone, but I’m quickly reminded of the countless eyes that are watching my every move tonight as well as Bruce’s reaction._

_“Diana,” Mrs. Ferguson calls as she hurries towards us. “It’s so good to see you out and about so soon after such a horrendous ordeal as being raped.”_

_I instinctively tighten my grip on Bruce’s hand. I don’t realize how tightly I’m holding it until I hear him grunt softly. I immediately loosen my hold, plastering a smile on my face. I feel Bruce’s hand settling on the small of my back in silent support, helping to keep my anger under control._

_“I wasn’t raped,” I tersely bite out the words that have become a mantra._

_“Oh, yes… my mistake,” she apologizes, waving a hand into the air to dismiss her error, but obviously not believing me. “I’m sure you understand how hard it is to keep all the facts straight. We were all quite worried about you when we heard you were taken. I’m sure you’ll need extensive therapy after what you endured and especially after the baby comes. No one would blame you for giving the child up for adoption after what you went through.”_

_“You’re looking well, Mrs. Ferguson,” Bruce cuts in, reaching out to take her hand and kissing the back of it. “You seem to have recovered well from your extensive plastic surgery.”_

_Mrs. Ferguson’s demeanor abruptly shifts, clearly offended as she releases a huff of indignation. “Yes, well…I…I didn’t think many knew about that,” she sputters, fanning herself with her mask. “It was all medically necessary I assure you.”_

_“I’m sure it was,” Bruce replies with a smirk. “And how is your husband? I heard that he recently left for an extended vacation in France with his secretary.”_

_Mrs. Ferguson’s jaw drops in shock, clearly becoming enraged. “But how…no one…I never…” she stammers._

_“If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to dance with my beautiful girlfriend,” Bruce interrupts her, taking my hand and leading me away._

_I bite my lip in an attempt to stifle the bubble of laughter rising in my throat, but fail miserably. “Bruce,” I chide him with a giggle. “That was terrible.”_

_“She had it coming,” he maintains with a frown that belies the twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he takes me into his arms on the dance floor. “She’s a horrible woman who does nothing but spreads rumors in order to hurt others. I’ve been looking for an excuse to put her in her place for some time now.”_

_He pulls me closer as we begin to dance, my anger still there just beneath the surface. It feels like everyone is watching us, judging my every move and thinking Hera knows what. I’d never really cared what others thought of me when I first came to Man’s World. I always ignored the attention that I garnered everywhere I went, the looks that men always gave me._

_Now, I find myself worrying about how this will all affect Bruce and his image, fearing it’ll cause trouble for him. He doesn’t deserve all of this unwanted attention, the vicious rumors that circulate among the socialites that Bruce rubs elbows with on a frequent basis._

_“A penny for your thoughts,” he softly says, turning his head slightly to brush his nose and lips against my ear._

_I release a soft sigh, so many things weighing so heavily on my heart. I don’t want to put anymore on his shoulders than the weight that he willingly carries. He already worries about me as it is without giving him even more to concern himself with._

_“Talk to me, Princess,” he pleads. “I couldn’t help but notice Mrs. Brigham talking to you earlier. She obviously said something that upset you.”_

_I look down, trying to find the words that don’t want to come, but I know I’m not going to escape this conversation no matter how badly I want to. “She did,” I confess as I glance over his shoulder at the countless eyes still following us, “but she wasn’t the one who upset me the most.”_

_“Then what was it?” he presses._

_“I overheard several conversations about how you are only staying with me out of pity,” I reveal with an unwanted catch in my throat that I know he notices. “They feel you deserve someone better than me…someone who isn’t damaged like I am now. I think that maybe they’re right, Bruce. You deserve better than—”_

_“Look at me, Diana,” he sternly states, stopping me from finishing my sentence. I raise my gaze to find his eyes ablaze with such fierce anger that I can’t help the uncontrollable tremor that rolls through me. “I don’t ever want to hear you say anything like that again. I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks or has to say about my love life. You are perfect to me, Diana, and nothing those monsters did to you could ever change how I feel about you.”_

_My eyes fall closed in relief, but I can’t rid myself of the dread that churns in the pit of my stomach. Unable to respond with words, I press my lips to his, kissing him deeply as my hand slips up into his hair. He reacts almost immediately; returning my kiss as if telling me that it’s okay—he understands and feels the same way._

_We continue to kiss as we dance or, more accurately, sway. We’re far too consumed with each other at that moment to actually care whether we’re moving to the orchestral music or the fact that we’ve attracted quite a bit of attention. His tongue prods my lips and I welcome him inside to tangle with mine, lost in the intimate moment as if we’re the only two people on the face of the Earth._

_He finally draws back, his breathing labored and his expression somewhat flustered. The look in his eyes sets me on fire for a whole different reason now. They’re dark and hungry and completely focused on me. The realization that I can bring out such an intense, almost primal reaction in him only intensifies my desire for this man._

_“I’m not sure what I did to deserve a kiss like that, but I’d be more than happy to do it again,” he teases, his voice rough and husky with longing._

_I can’t help the way my lips curl with pleasure as I lay my head on his shoulder, contentment washing through me. Nothing else seems to matter in this moment as we continue to dance, holding each other close. Everything around us seems to fade away, leaving just the two of us and I know that I don’t want this dance to ever end._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Wayne Enterprises; April 7th; 10:43 EST_ **

“Yes…I completely understand your concerns and I share them, Mister Krueger,” I reassure the man. “I’m personally overseeing the entire reorganization process of the department as well as the recovery of the funds that were stolen.”

I wearily rub my forehead as the benefactor digresses into his concerns once more and I can’t help wondering what I’ve gotten myself into. While I know that this job is highly important especially to those that benefit from it, the public relations aspect of it becomes wearisome at times.

This isn’t the first call that I’ve had to take to soothe the frayed nerves of donors who heard about the embezzlement scam. Despite having a press conference soon after the news broke, I’ve still had to field many calls, reassuring them that we are doing everything we can to fix this and recover all the money.

I turn in my chair, glancing up at my door to find Lucius Fox leaning against the door frame with a pleasant smile on his face. I wave for him to come in as Mister Krueger continues to rattle on about how best to recover the money that had been stolen.

Lucius takes a seat directly across from my desk from me. I can’t help wondering why he’s here, but I’m pleased with his visit nonetheless. While my interactions with him have been somewhat limited, I know that he’s a very good man, one that Bruce trusts unconditionally.

“Yes, Mister Krueger,” I respond. “I promise that I’ll keep you appraised of our progress…I completely understand your worries. I can assure you that no one has been more outraged by all of this than Mister Wayne. He’s been unrelenting in his efforts to make sure that all funds are recovered and that something like this doesn’t happen again.” 

I give Lucius an apologetic look. He smiles in reassurance, patiently waiting for me to finish. I’ve already been on the phone with the man for over thirty minutes, reassuring and smoothing things over. “Okay, Mister Krueger,” I tell him. “I’m more than happy to talk it over again in the future if you wish. Yes…you have a good day too…you’re more than welcome…good-bye.”

I hang up the phone with a weary sigh as I lean back in my chair. “I’m so sorry, Lucius,” I apologize. “Mister Krueger had many concerns about the recent embezzlement and felt the need to voice them repeatedly along with all his ideas on how to keep this from ever happening again.”

“I understand,” he assures me. “I’ve had to deal with many of those calls myself over the years. It’s rarely a pleasant experience.”

“He was actually quite pleasant for the most part,” I explain. “He’s just very worried.”

“It was quite a shock to all of us when it was discovered,” Lucius replies with a frown. “Ariel was always such a sweet girl…very unsuspecting.”

“Sometimes it’s the quiet ones that you need to worry about the most,” I comment. “She somehow managed to bypass all the checks and balances that had been put into place to avoid something like this happening.”

“We’ll have to find another way of managing things,” he thoughtfully says. “I’m sure if anyone can figure it out, it’ll be you, Diana.”

I smile at his confidence in me, sitting forward in my chair. “So what brings you my way, Lucius?” I ask. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“Actually, Bruce asked me to come by and check in on you while he was away on business,” Lucius reveals.

I try to hide my surprise, but I’m sure it reflects on my face. It stirs my annoyance that he feels I need someone to watch over me, afraid that I can’t take care of myself or that I might suddenly lose it at any given moment. “He did that?” I ask, the words coming out a little more tersely than I had expected.

“I had strict instructions to keep an eye on you and make sure that you were taken care of while he was away.”

I tilt my head back, momentarily closing my eyes. “I appreciate Bruce’s concern, but it’s really not necessary,” I tightly reply, trying to cover my irritation. “I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

A smirk forms on Lucius’s face. “Bruce said you would say that.”

An exasperated breath escapes as I reach for my cup of coffee. “I swear that man is going to drive me crazy someday,” I mutter with a shake of my head. “He’s going to give himself an ulcer with all his worrying.”

“I agree,” he says with a chuckle. “Well, I don’t want to keep you, but if you need anything please feel free to call me at any time.”

“I will…thank you, Lucius,” I reply with a smile, noticing a familiar face in the hallway as Lucius leaves. I stand to my feet as I go to the doorway. “Jason?”

Jason Trask stands in the hall, his expression full of uncertainty. “Diana,” he tentatively greets me. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“Come in,” I urge him, standing aside to allow him entrance into my office. “How have you been?”

He stands awkwardly just inside the doorway, glancing around before finally meeting my curious gaze. “I should be asking you that,” he tells me, looking me over as if trying to decide if I really am all right.

“I’m fine, Jason,” I reassure him, taking his hand in mine. “Batman found me and rescued me from those horrible men.”

He stares at me for a long moment as if searching for the right words. “I’m so sorry, Diana,” he apologizes.

“Jason, you have nothing to apologize for,” I tell him as I lead him to the chairs in front of my desk. “You had nothing to do with this.”

“I know, but I couldn’t find you,” he confesses as he takes a seat. “I tried to find you, but I…I couldn’t. I was so worried about you. I started drinking to numb the fear and the pain. I nearly lost my job.”

“I’m so sorry you went through that,” I softly say, taking his hand in mine. “I’m sorry you were so hurt.”

“No, I don’t want you to be sorry about anything,” he heatedly replies as he leans towards me with urgency burning in his eyes. “None of this was your fault. You were the victim in all of this.”

“I’m not a victim,” I icily state.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean for it come across in that way. It’s just that I had to see you and to tell you that I’m back. I’m going to be trying Declan McCaffrey and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that he pays dearly for what he did to you.”

I give him a small smile, squeezing his hand. “I’m glad you’re back, Jason. I was worried about you.”

His thumb begins to caress the back of my hand as he stares at me, his eyes softening. “Diana, I’m not going to lie to you. I still have very strong feelings for you.”

“I’m sorry,” I gently tell him. “I don’t feel anything for you beyond friendship.”

“It’s Bruce Wayne…isn’t it?”

I can see the darkening storm in his eyes as he mentions Bruce’s name, the definite dislike in the tone of his voice. “Yes, I’m dating Bruce again,” I admit. “This whole ordeal showed us that we still have deep feelings for one another and want to try again.”

He pulls free from my hold on his hand as he sits back in his chair. “I could lie and tell you that I’m happy for you, but I’m afraid that I’m not, Diana. I wish you would just give me a chance to prove myself to you.”

“I can only offer you my friendship, Jason…nothing more,” I repeat.

He stands to his feet as he draws a deep breath. “I’m not going to give up on you, Diana. I’m going to do what I can to try to win your heart. I just wanted to let you know that. I’ll see you later.”

I watch as he turns to leave, my heart in my throat as I sit all alone in my office. Jason’s visit has completely caught me off guard. I have no idea how I’m going to deal with his unexpected return, but it’s definitely more than I can handle right now.

Batcave; April 7th, 20:03 EST

“You know that Bruce is going to be pissed if he finds out you’re working on the case.”

I frown as I turn to look at Dick who is standing behind me to my right, wondering how he manages to appear out of thin air just like Bruce always does. His arms are crossed, a tentative expression on his face. “Well, it’s a good thing that you’re not going to tell him then,” I reply.

He unfolds his arms, pulling a chair over to sit next to me. “Have you been able to uncover anything new?”

“Not sure,” I murmur as I turn my attention back to the file that I’d opened up. It was Bruce’s list of suspects. None of the names were familiar to me, but hopefully Dick will know some of them. “Do you know anything about this man…Michael Kozak?”

Dick leans closer, his eyes narrowing as he reads the few lines of information that Bruce had entered in on Kozak as well as his picture. “Doesn’t seem familiar to me,” he mutters. “Why?”

“He works as a security guard at Gotham University,” I inform him. “A witness claims that she saw him lurking around the area where Kennedy Jamison was taken.”

“Well, I’d hope he was lurking around there if he’s working security,” Dick says as he flops back in his chair in obvious disinterest.

“When he was off duty?”

“Okay, now that’s a different story,” he decides as he straightens up once more with sudden attention. “Did Bruce get a chance to follow up on it?”

“No,” I reply with a shake of my head. “He just made a couple of notes that Michael is dating one of the students at GU who is staying in the same dorm as Kennedy. I’m sure he would’ve looked into it more if he hadn’t decided to just go undercover.”

“I’ll look into it tonight before I start patrol.”

“You mean we can look into it tonight.”

Dick’s head whips around to stare at me. “Are you trying to get me killed? Bruce gave me strict instructions that you aren’t allowed to patrol Gotham or to work on this case. I’m already in trouble if you’re looking into the case and now you want to add to it by going into Gotham to investigate it?”

“I love Bruce and I appreciate his concern and his need to try to protect me, but I can take care of myself. I may not be the same woman that I was before I was abducted, but I can still do something to help these women.”

“Diana, I just…” Dick begins, his voice trailing off as he pauses to take a deep breath, carefully weighing his words before he proceeds any further.

“Dick, I have to do this,” I try again. “Bruce doesn’t understand that I need to be a part of this. I have to help these girls if I’m ever going to get past what happened to me.”

“Diana, Bruce does understand…far better than you think,” Dick reveals, causing me to meet his penetrating blue eyes. “That’s why he doesn’t want you anywhere near this case. He doesn’t want you to become like him, consumed with the darkness that trauma has created in his soul. More than that, though, he’s terrified of losing you.”

“He’s not going to lose me,” I snap, my hands coming to rest on my arms, my fingers raking up and down them as I stare absentmindedly at the computer screen before me.

An unexpected hand on top of mine forces me to stop and to look at him. “You can tell that to Bruce until you’re blue in the face, but it won’t change his mind. He’s seen far too much…endured too many losses to try to convince him that he won’t lose you too.

“You didn’t see what your abduction did to him, Diana. He was like a man possessed. I was afraid that it would destroy him if we didn’t find you in time. I don’t think that he can go through something like that again.”

I feel those pesky tears appearing again, my eyes growing moist against my will. “I don’t want to hurt him, Dick, but I have to do this. I have to find some sort of closure or I’m afraid I’ll never be able to escape the nightmares. I’ll never be able to defeat the demons that I can feel rising up inside of me, threatening to steal my sanity.”

Dick stares at me for a long moment, his hand still covering mine on my forearm. “You’re going to do this no matter what, aren’t you?”

“I have to…not just for me, but for Bruce too,” I insist. “If I don’t find some closure soon, I’m afraid I’m going to lose Bruce. I can’t let that happen.”

“You don’t know that, Di,” he tells me, removing his hand. “Bruce isn’t going to just give up on you because you’re still struggling to come to terms with what happened to you. It’s only been six months.”

“You don’t know that he won’t,” I counter, wrapping my arms tightly around myself. “He deserves far better than this…this chaotic mess.”

“Bruce isn’t like that,” Dick adamantly states. “He is totally in love with you, Diana…far more than I have ever seen him with another woman. He’s not about to give up on you.”

I nod my head in understanding, but I still can’t shake the countless fears that haunt my thoughts and invade my dreams. I miss Bruce more and more with every passing day. He’s only been gone for two days, but it feels like weeks. Even though I’m still angry with him, I can’t deny the lonely void that his absence has created in me.

“So are you coming with me tonight or not?” I finally ask, casting a sidelong glance to my right.

He shakes his head with a frown and I have a feeling that I’m on my own. “Fine,” he relents, “but you have to promise to protect me from Bruce when he gets back.”

“Leave Bruce to me,” I reassure him. “He and I have plenty of things that we need to work out when he returns. He’ll be too busy to kill you.”

“If we do this, we have to wait until he checks in tonight,” he reminds me. “If he calls and you’re not here, he’ll know something is up.”

“Fine,” I agree, drawing a deep breath. “Looks like I’ll have to go dust off my Nemesis uniform.”

“After I get it out of the vault that Bruce locked it away in so you couldn’t get your hands on it,” Dick informs me with a smirk.

“No, he didn’t,” I reply in total shock.

Dick gives me a look that says it all. We both know Bruce far too well. “Let’s go see if we can get it,” I decide as we both stand to our feet.

I feel a renewed sense of purpose invade me like a breath of fresh spring air. I know with every fiber of my being that I have to do this if I’m ever going to get past everything that I went though. The key to this is rescuing these girls who can’t rescue themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Bruce and Diana are so cute together and NEMESIS IS BACK! You can't keep a good woman down...even if Bruce locks her uniform away where she can't find it. :)  
> UP NEXT: Diana meets with J'onn and spars with Bruce so she can return to duty. Will she pass? In the present, Nightwing and Nemesis team up to help find the missing girls, but how will Bruce feel about it?
> 
> I'm going to start posting Family Ties next week! Be prepared for a wild ride. We're going to be jumping in with both feet right from the start!
> 
> Also, hoping to do some one-shots based on the DCEU. Just trying to find the time between all the other BMWW fics I've got going. Already started the next Suspicious Minds update.
> 
> Thanks for all your support over the last year. You all keep me writing. I love to share my love for BMWW with you all. Hoping for more Wonderbat in the new year!


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**_Watchtower; November 1st; 16:34 EST_ **

_“Do I really have to do this?” I find myself uttering the question, the one that has been weighing heavily on my mind for the last few days._

_Casting a sidelong glance at him, I find his response easy to read despite the cowl that covers half his face without him needing to utter a single word. “You already know the answer, Princess,” he replies as we turn a corner in the Watchtower on our way to the infirmary._

_“I’d rather take on Ares,” I grumble, trying to ignore the dread that is growing in the pit of my stomach._

_It isn’t until he pulls me to a stop, his hands firmly covering mine that I realize that I’ve been vigorously rubbing my arms. It’s a new habit that I’ve picked up since Bruce found me, one that I don’t even realize that I’m doing until I notice how red and raw my skin is. I look at him in embarrassment; wishing things were different…that I was me again._

_“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” he reassures me with a gentleness that makes my insides melt. “He’s not going to invade your mind or make you relive any of part of it. It’s just a basic psych evaluation. You know it’s protocol for every League member who has been through a traumatic event.”_

_I feel my heart sink knowing that I have no choice in this. I’m not even sure why I’m so apprehensive about this, but I can’t deny how much I’m dreading the next hour. It’s not like I have anything to hide. All the founders know I was assaulted, but none of them know the details—not even Bruce. I’d like to keep it that way if at all possible. I don’t want him to look at me any differently than he already does or end up changing his mind about us._

_“Do you want me to go in there with you?” he asks, pulling me from my thoughts._

_“No, I’ll be fine,” I reply as I avert my eyes under his penetrating gaze that I swear can see inside of my very soul. “I just want to get this over with so I can go back to work.”_

_“You will,” he says, a smirk forming on his lips that I’d love to kiss. “After you’re done with J’onn, you have to spar with me to prove your physically ready and then you’re free to go on any mission that arises.”_

_“Let’s just get this over with so I can kick your ass,” I taunt him as I turn to walk away._

_He quickly falls into step beside me, his hand gently gripping my elbow as he leans in close to me. “I didn’t think our relationship had progressed to that point yet, but I’m more than up for anything you have to offer.”_

_I feel my face growing warm as we come to a stop outside of J’onn’s office in the infirmary. I turn to face him to find him standing right in front of me, the corner of his lips twitching in amusement. My eyes fall to his lips and I catch a subtle hitch in his breath as I rake my teeth over my bottom lip._

_“I guess it depends on who ends up on top when it’s all said and done,” I flirt._

_A low growl escapes from his throat as he begins to close the short distance between us. He stops abruptly when J’onn’s door swishes open, an amused Martian Manhunter standing there to greet us. Bruce quickly pulls back with a scowl, clearly unhappy with the interruption._

_“Diana, you’re right on time,” he says with a slight smile. “Batman, will you be joining us?”_

_Bruce stares at me for a long moment as if considering something before ultimately squaring his shoulders, his jaw set like granite. “No, but I’ll be right outside if you need me, Princess,” he reassures me._

_I lay my hand on his forearm, squeezing it in assurance as I give him a small smile. “I’ll be fine…really.”_

_He gives me a slight nod, sighing softly before moving to take a seat in one of the chairs against the wall outside of J’onn’s office. I follow J’onn inside, the door swiftly closing behind me as I make my way to a chair. J’onn sits down directly across from me and I can feel every single muscle in my body contracting in anticipation._

_A subtle sense of fear lingers there just beneath my skin where I can’t begin to reach. It’s something that I’ve tried banishing, but it’s proving to be more stubborn than I am which is no small feat. My fingers wrap around the arms of my chair, almost afraid to draw a breath._

_I hate this fear that overtakes me when I least expect it, rising up out of the depths of a dark void that was created by the hands of vile men desperate to break me. I suddenly wish that I had allowed Bruce to come in here with me as J’onn silently gauges my emotions._

_“How have you been, Diana?” he solemnly asks me._

_“I’m fine,” I mechanically respond without a second thought._

_He watches me for several moments before delving into his next question. “Diana, it’s all right,” he calmly states. “I’m not going to push you into talking about what you endured or probe your mind for what you’re thinking and feeling.”_

_I draw a deep breath, nodding my head in understanding. “I know,” I tell him. “I just want to get this over with so I can return to duty.”_

_“I just want to talk to you to see how you are dealing with everything,” he explains. “Have you been eating and sleeping well?”_

_I don’t know why he’s bothering to ask me this. He knows I’ve been struggling. We’ve been living under the same roof for months. “Yes,” I truthfully answer. “It’s been a little difficult at times, but it’s getting better.”_

_“It will take time to fully adjust to life again after the horrific trauma you endured.”_

_I force a smile to my face, wanting to reassure him. “It wasn’t that bad, J’onn,” I try to tell him. “I was very fortunate. I didn’t endure near what other women have been forced to. I’m perfectly fine and ready to get my life back on track again.”_

_We continue to talk for what feels like an eternity about everything from being sure that I get enough sleep to finding someone that I can talk to about what happened to me. It ends with him leaning forward, his hand coming to rest on top of mine._

_“We are all here for you, Diana,” he reminds me. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I am always here for you.”_

_“Thank you, J’onn,” I reply with a smile. “I really appreciate that, but it won’t be necessary.”_

_He slowly nods his head as he squeezes my hand. “Why don’t you have a seat outside while I talk to Batman?”_

_My body instantly freezes, my eyes narrowing. “Why do you need to talk to Bruce?” I demand to know, my anger prickling._

_“He is the one who will clear you for duty,” he explains. “I have to confer with him. From my standpoint, I feel you are fit for returning to duty.”_

_“All right…good,” I say with a curt nod as I stand to my feet, turning and heading towards the door. I glance back over my shoulder at him as the door swishes open, wishing I knew what was really going on._

_Batman immediately stands to his feet as I exit, concern etched in his face. “Everything okay?”_

_“Yes, J’onn just wants to talk to you for a moment,” I inform him, wrapping my arms around myself with an uneasiness that has settled deep into my bones. I don’t like the idea of J’onn and Bruce talking about me without me being present._

_He quickly enters J’onn office, the door closing louder than I have ever heard it before…or that’s the just the way it seems. Like a nail in a coffin closing them off from me and sealing my fate. I begin pacing, not wanting to eavesdrop, but it’s a little hard not to with my enhanced hearing._

_“Is she okay?” Batman asks, urgency pervading his voice._

_“On the surface…yes,” J’onn replies. “She’s doing her best to make sure everyone thinks that she’s fine. She wants to put everyone at ease around her, especially you. She doesn’t want us to worry about her more than we already have or cause us any more heartache._

_“I’m afraid there is a tumultuous war of emotions running deep inside of her, a battle between the warrior she was raised to be and the woman that she is. She’s still having nightmares, some of them quite violent and terrifying. It’s impossible not to sense them when I’m at the manor. They are quite… overwhelming at times.”_

_“What can I do for her?” The determination in his voice is unmistakable. I can practically picture the steel resolve that has settled over his face, the way that his cape is draped so formidably around him like a pillar of strength and determination._

_“For now, I think we just give her some time to deal with what she’s been through,” J’onn continues. “I believe she’s safe to return to duty. It may even help her to reestablish a normal routine once more, but I would advise keeping a close eye on her. If she starts exhibiting any signs of distress, we may need to readdress her status.”_

_I feel my heart nearly pounding out of my chest, my breathing growing ragged. J’onn doesn’t think I’m stable and now Bruce will ultimately agree with him. I can’t let them believe there is anything wrong; doing everything I can to reassure them that I’m perfectly fine. I’m an Amazon. I can handle this._

_I move to stand before the viewport window, wishing we could just go to the training room now. I hate this attention storming around me; this spotlight that has been shown on me and my struggles. I’m supposed to be strong and resilient…a shining light of compassion, not wrestling with fears and rage and darkness._

_Sometimes I feel as though the light that has shown so brightly inside of me has been dimmed considerably since Bruce rescued me, snuffed out and never to be seen again. Instead of warmth, I feel a dark chill within me, one that scares me._

_“Princess,” Batman calls to me._

_I turn to face him, forcing a smile to my face as I swallow back my sorrow. “What did J’onn have to say?”_

_Bruce doesn’t bother bringing up the fact that he knows I had to have heard them, feigning ignorance instead for my benefit. “He says you’re good to go,” he lies and I love him a little more for it. “Let’s go see how you handle yourself in the training room, though.”_

_“I’m not sure you can handle me, Batman,” I taunt him, keeping my tone light._

_His posture relaxes minutely with my good-natured ribbing, a slight smirk twisting his lips. “I’m pretty sure I can handle anything you throw at me.”_

_We both know his words hold much more meaning than just sparring. I would like to believe it’s true, but my fears keep telling me it would be so much different if he knew the gruesome details. As I walk past him, I loop my arm through his much to his surprise as I lead him out of the infirmary._

_“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, Dark Knight,” I tease him, doing my best to ease his worry. “Trying to handle me could be like trying to bottle lightning.”_

_A genuine chuckle breaks free and it’s like music to my ears. “I have no doubt about that,” he replies. “It’s a good thing that I’m up to the task.”_

_I pull my arm free from his, not wanting to give Wally any ammunition to use. I have a feeling he’s going to be the president of the rumor mill once the other new Leaguers and the civilian staff begin to move in and report for duty. While he possesses a fun-loving spirit that I enjoy, he has a mouth that runs faster than his mind or his legs at times._

_Coming to a stop before one of the newly designed training rooms, I watch as Bruce enters a code, the doors sliding open to allow us entrance. “So, how are we going to do this?” I ask as I begin to stretch._

_He looks me over for a moment before responding as if trying to decide how best to test me. I see a flicker of concern pass over his face despite the mask that covers it. I put my hands on my hips as I purse my lips in frustration._

_“You’re not going to break me, Bruce,” I state with a measure of annoyance._

_“You’re still skin and bones, but I guess your strength is back,” he comments with obvious disapproval as he begins to remove his utility belt. “We’re going to do a no-powers match.”_

_“Your funeral,” I challenge him as I lay my tiara and lasso aside._

_He smirks in amusement as he comes to stand in the middle with me. “Awfully confident, aren’t you?”_

_“Bruce, I was abducted and tortured, not brainwashed into forgetting everything I know,” I remind him._

_His smirk falters and I immediately regret my words by resurrecting painful memories. He recovers quickly as he assumes an attack position. “Are you stalling, Princess?” he asks. “If you want to delay this…”_

_“For once, I think you talk too much,” I counter as we begin to circle each other._

_“I can’t say I’ve ever been accused of that,” he quips._

_I decide that the sooner I get this over with the sooner I can be cleared for duty. I also know that making the first move is very dangerous when one is facing off against the Batman. In the end, my impatience wins out as I lunge at him in an effort to prove myself._

_He waits until the very last second to sidestep my strike, using his leg to try to kick mine out from under me. I immediately compensate, avoiding his attempt to take me down as I stumble out of the way. He doesn’t give me time to right myself as he launches an attack filled with a series of strikes and kicks that I easily block._

_My warrior spirit quickly rises to the surface, making my blood sing as instinct takes over my every move. This is what I’ve been trained for my entire life, what I was raised to be as I unleash a counterattack. I press my advantage as I feint with my left only to strike with my right, delivering a blow to his ribs that causes him to grunt with the contact._

_Even though I’m not using my full powers, I have no doubt that he’s going to have a bruise from that hit. I know I need to take it a little easier on him, but I want to make sure he knows that I can take of myself and that I’m more than ready to be put back on active duty._

_“Nice hit, Princess,” he observes as he gingerly rubs his ribs._

_“Glad you think so,” I answer as I raise my leg to kick him in the torso._

_He grabs me by the heel of my red boot, throwing me off balance. I land hard on my back, Bruce swiftly following. He straddles my hips, using the full weight of his body to pin me to the mat. A flash of panic lances through me as he leans over me, terror swelling in my chest as he grabs me by my wrists and pins them over my head._

_Memories tear through my mind like hot knives, burning like cinders in my mind as I try to remain calm. My heart is thundering in my chest as I gasp for my next breath, squeezing my eyes closed against the torture that comes next._

_“Diana, it’s okay,” he reassures me with an urgency in his voice that reflects his own panic as he instantly releases his grip on my wrists. His hands move to grasp hold of my face, forcing me to open my eyes. “It’s just me. I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe.”_

_I stare up into his face, stunned to find that he’s shoved his cowl back off his face. I try to rein in my fear and panic as he yanks off his gauntlets to caress my face, worry shining in his eyes. “I’m…I’m sorry,” I murmur, embarrassed._

_“Don’t be,” he tells me as he leans in close, his lips brushing against my forehead before moving to my cheeks, my nose and finally my lips._

_He kisses me slowly…tenderly, trying to soothe me as he attempts to draw all my fears and hurts into himself. He continually murmurs how sorry he is between kisses that gradually grow a little more heated as his body slowly sinks into mine with a delicious heaviness that I immediately relish._

_My arms move of their own accord, my hands going straight for his hair to grip it firmly. My lips part as I gasp with pleasure, his tongue taking full advantage of the opening I’ve offered him. He tilts his head as he deepens his kisses, his tongue thoroughly exploring every inch of my mouth._

_I never want this to end, but it does all too soon. He pulls back with a sharp gasp, realizing how rapidly things are hurtling towards the inevitable…to the point of no return. As badly as I want that, I’m not certain that I’m quite ready for it. He seems to sense that as well._

_He brushes a raven lock off my forehead as he stares down at me. “I’m so sorry,” he softly apologizes, his breathing labored._

_“No, it’s all right,” I murmur. “I shouldn’t have overreacted.”_

_Bruce rolls off me, rubbing his face with his hands before sitting up. “It’s too soon,” he readily decides as he turns to face me._

_I sit up as well, panicking now for a complete different reason. “It’s not too soon, Bruce,” I argue. “You just took me by surprise. I can handle being back out in the field.”_

_He stares at me with eyes filled with such anguish that it nearly steals my breath. “Diana, I’m afraid for you. What if you have a panic attack while out on a mission? Copperhead isn’t going to release you because you have a flashback. He’s going to go for the kill.”_

_I draw my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs as my chin comes to rest on top of them. “I won’t,” I insist. “It was a momentary lapse. It won’t happen again.”_

_“You can’t have momentary lapses out there.”_

_“Don’t you think I know that?” I snap. “Now that I know that it can happen, I’ll be prepared for it in the future. Besides, J’onn said that getting back into a regular routine could help.”_

_His penetrating gaze narrows as he stares at me. “So you did hear us.”_

_It’s more of a statement than a question, his suspicions just confirmed for him. “I can do this, Bruce. I have to. Please…don’t do this to me.”_

_“Fine,” he finally relents, but I know that there’s a caveat following. “No solo missions for the first two weeks. No going out alone until I decide you can.”_

_“Bruce,” I hiss his name with a scowl as I ball my hands into fists, hating the fact he’s treating me like a child._

_“Take it or leave it, Princess,” he tells me as he stands to his feet, offering his hand to me._

_I look up at it, refusing to take it as I get to my feet by myself. “Fine,” I angrily grind out my agreement, folding my arms against my chest._

_He pulls me into his arms, wrapping me up in a warm embrace that I can’t help but return despite my anger with him. “I’m here for you to talk to when you’re ready,” he softly tells me. “Don’t continue to carry all of this hurt and anger inside of you. I’ve been there too many times, Diana. It’s not the answer.”_

_I bury my face in the crook of his neck, weighing his words against my fears. I can’t help wondering how he would react if he heard all the gruesome details, if he’d still be here holding me like this if he truly knew._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Batcave; April 8th; 00:16 EST_ **

I drum my fingers on top of Bruce’s desk, anxiously awaiting his call. Each minute that passes by only causes my worry to escalate that much more. I hate knowing he’s out there in Gotham somewhere that I can’t get to him if he needs me; going through Hera only knows what.

I hope that he’s been able to uncover the information that he needs so that he can come home soon. It feels like weeks since I’ve seen him, since I’ve been able to touch him and kiss him. I miss his piercing blue eyes that seem capable of peeling away all the layers to gaze into my heart and mind, the crooked little smile he gives me when he’s teasing me. I miss his scent that sends a shiver that I feel clear down to my bones. I even miss his dark, brooding moods and his incessant need to try to protect me.

He’ll be more than furious with me when he finds out I’ve been working on the case while he’s been gone, but I’m determined to make him understand how badly I need to do this. Dick told me that Bruce understands, but his fears keep him from letting me help him. I just need to find a way to help alleviate his worry.

The computer sounds, alerting me that I have an incoming call. I feel my heart stutter excitedly in response as I tap the key to accept it. “Batman?” I breathlessly answer, needing to hear his voice.

“Princess,” he rasps, a slight lilt of affection to his voice that no one would have picked up on except for maybe me. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I tell him, though the words sound so hollow after all these months. They’re as hollow and meaningless as when Bruce uses them ad nauseam. “I miss you. Please tell me you’re coming home.”

There’s a definite pause before he answers me and I can feel my heart sink. “It’s going to be a couple more days…likely more.”

I draw a shuddering breath, trying to temper my emotions. I know that he has to do this in order to find these girls and keep any more of them from being taken, but it’s more than difficult. This couldn’t have come at a worse time. We have so much we need to work through.

“What can I do to help you?” I find myself asking, doing my best to numb myself from the emotions beginning to storm inside of me.

He releases a slow breath, his fatigue more than evident as well as the stress that he’s carrying. “Nothing,” he tells me. “I’m getting closer. I think I have an idea about where the girls are being kept.”

“Where?” I question him, wishing that he’d let me in.

“Princess,” he sternly warns me and I know that I’m pushing him too far on this. He’ll shut down if I push him anymore. It’s okay, though. I have my own lead to follow up on tonight. “Anything going on that I need to know about?”

“Jason is back,” I inform him. “He’s going to be the one to prosecute my case.”

I can practically feel him bristling on the other end of our connection. “How is he?” he asks with a clipped tone.

“Fine,” I reply. “He’s definitely not happy that you and I are together.”

“He hasn’t given up on winning your heart, has he?”

“I’m afraid not,” I admit. “I already told him that I can only offer him friendship, but he’s not giving up.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Let me handle him.”

“I can’t think about him right now,” he concedes for the moment. “I’ll worry about him once I’ve found these girls.”

“I don’t have any feelings for him so just focus on staying safe and not on something that’s never going to happen,” I reassure him.

“Fine,” he bites out. “Anything else I should know about?”

“No,” I simply state.

“Have you uncovered anything new about the case?” I can feel my cheeks instantly grow warm though he’s not there to see my sheepish expression. When I don’t respond right away, he continues. “I know you, Princess. Nothing I say is ever going to keep you from working on it.”

“I have to do this,” I confess.

“I know,” he softly replies. “I have to go.”

“Already?” I ask, hating how helpless my voice sounds. He no doubt notices it.

“I’m sorry,” he tells me. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I think I’m getting closer to who is behind the kidnappings.”

“Ethan called today,” I reveal. “Alfred reassured him that you were doing everything that you could to find his daughter Emily.”

“I have to go,” he says again, his tone laced with urgency.

He cuts the communication before I can respond, my heart sinking all over again. “I love you, Bruce,” I murmur to no one at all.

I sit back in the chair, rubbing more arms. I stand to my feet, pulling my hair back into a tight ponytail. I glance down at my Nemesis uniform, more than ready to meet Dick at Gotham University to see what we can uncover there.

Even though Bruce didn’t reveal anything about what he’s uncovered so far, I can’t help but feeling this Michael Kozak might hold some sort of key to this. While he might not be involved, he might know something that will help us find out who is.

**_Gotham University; April 8th, 01:17 EST_ **

Standing on the roof of the Science building on the campus of Gotham University, my gaze travels over the grounds below. I’m hoping to catch sight of something that will crack this case wide open, maybe even catching the kidnapper red-handed before he can escape with another girl.

Security has definitely been increased on campus, but it hasn’t proven to be enough as a total of nine girls have been taken since it all started six months ago. I watch as a couple of girls walk across campus, chatting and laughing. They’re completely oblivious to their surroundings.

I would’ve thought that the women on campus would be more hyper-vigilant in their safety, but they appear completely unconcerned. Just because they don’t fit the victim profile doesn’t mean that they aren’t at risk. There are many kinds of predators lurking about in the shadows ready to strike at any given moment.

I swallow back my anger as well as the urge to fly down there and lecture them about their stupidity, but I know that I can’t. Nightwing will be here soon. I’m anxious to investigate this Michael Kozak. I’ve already talked to Oracle about checking into him. She’ll hopefully get back to me soon with some much needed information.

“Nice outfit.”

I turn to find Nightwing approaching from behind me. He’s as stealthy and sneaky as his surrogate father. It unnerves me and makes me wonder if Dick isn’t really Bruce’s biological son. I swear those two were cut from the same cloth.

“Thanks,” I reply, eager to get to work. “Your boss designed it.”

A smirk plays on his lips as he appraises me, his hands coming to rest on his hips. “Of course he did.”

I glance down at my uniform, taking in the black material that fits like a second skin. “What?” I ask, confused by his amusement.

“Nothing,” he claims, shaking his head. “Where do you want to begin?”

“I thought we could start by following Michael Kozak,” I tell him. “He’s on duty tonight. I’d like to corner him and ask him some questions.”

“And I’m sure that Batman is totally on board with all of this,” Nightwing says as he glances at me.

“I don’t know that I would go quite that far,” I admit, biting at my bottom lip as my thoughts drift back over our conversation tonight. “He wasn’t happy about it, but he knew I wasn’t going to give up on this case no matter what he said.”

“Here I thought Batman was the most stubborn person on the planet,” he comments. “I have just altered that opinion.”

“I’m not that bad,” I counter.

He gives me a look that states he believes otherwise. “Come on,” he replies. “Let’s go look for your security guard.”

We quickly begin our sweep of the campus, coming across several security guards, but none of them is the one we’re looking for. There are also several Gotham police officers roaming around, making sure the campus is safe. I fear, though, that none of them will be enough to ensure complete protection against the evil that hunts Gotham right now.

Whoever is after these young women is not going to stop until they are captured and brought to justice. They’re determined to continue their reprehensible plans no matter how much security there is or how many policemen there are. It has yet to stop them from taking these innocent girls. It’s going to take us stepping in to make the nightmare end.

“There,” I tell Nightwing, pointing at a security guard that I spot walking towards one of the campus buildings.

“Let’s go have a little talk,” he decides.

I immediately start towards him, anxious to gain the information that we need. A firm hand on my arm brings me to a stop, causing my anger to soar. I turn towards Nightwing, gracing him with a heated glare that causes him to instantly release his hold on me.

“What?” I demand.

“You need to let me do the talking,” he instructs me. “Stay behind me and no Meta powers.”

I shake my head in amazement. It feels as though it’s Bruce standing here telling me what to do. In a way, it is. “I’m not a rookie,” I snap, feeling as though I’ve had this argument before. “Now, can we go or do you want to stand here and waste more time?”

“Uh…yah,” he decides, clearly flabbergasted by my heated rejoinder. “Let’s go.”

He promptly leads the way, obviously not wanting to inflame my anger any further. I feel a slight twinge of guilt for snapping at him, but I’m not new at this. Bruce has ingrained his rules for being in Gotham so deeply into my brain I could recite them in my sleep.

We make our way towards him, staying in the shadows to keep from being detected just yet. I’m fighting my every instinct to charge over there, pin him against a wall and force him to talk, but I know that I need to take the backseat on this one. This is Gotham and I have to respect Bruce’s rules even if he isn’t here.

We follow him as he heads towards the front entrance of one of the buildings. Nightwing makes his move at that moment, making his presence known. “Excuse me,” he calls out to him, the security guard whipping around and pointing a taser at us. “Hey, we just want to ask you a few questions.”

The young man tries to hide his shock at the sight of us, but does a very poor job of it. He begins to tremble and I wonder if he’s going to pass out. “Wha…what do you want?” he stammers as he steps more fully into the light, suspiciously keeping his taser trained on us.

I frown as I realize it’s not Michael Kozak, but I’m still hopeful he’ll be able to tell us where he is. Nightwing holds his hands up to show him we aren’t here to attack anyone, displaying far more patience than I’m feeling at that moment.

“We just want to know if Michael Kozak is working tonight,” Nightwing calmly inquires.

The security guard frowns, his forehead creasing. “Michael?” he questioned us. “What do you want with him?”

“We just have some questions for him regarding the recent spree of kidnappings,” Nightwing clarified.

“You don’t think Michael has anything to do with it, do you?”

“We’re just investigating every possibility,” Nightwing explains. “Is he working tonight?”

“No, he quit this morning,” the young man informs us.

“Do you know why?” I ask.

The man shrugs his shoulders before putting his Taser away. “No idea,” he says. “He just up and quit. No explanation that I know of.”

“All right,” Nightwing decides with a nod. “If you notice anything suspicious, report it to the police immediately.”

“Will do, sir.”

The young man responds with such eagerness that I half expect him to salute us. Instead, he turns his attention back to the building, going inside to continue his rounds. My hands find my hips as I chew on my bottom lip. I don’t like this one bit.

“Something isn’t right about this,” I tell him.

“I agree,” he says. His response takes me off guard. I thought for sure he’d tell me that was it and to return to the cave. “We’re going to have to do some more investigating to make sure Michael Kozak isn’t involved in these missing girls.”

I smile to myself, relieved that Dick isn’t going to let this go. I feel a sense of hope and exhilaration take root inside of me as I follow him. I feel an unexpected sense of comfort to be back as Nemesis again, knowing that I’m helping Bruce and these girls. 

Now, we just need a big break to blow this case wide open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wonder Woman and Nemesis are finally back, but how will Diana handle it?  
> UP NEXT: Bruce is there for Diana after a bad nightmare and in the present, Diana goes back to Gotham University in search of answers only to run into someone unexpected.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_**Wayne Manor; November 5th; 04:06 EST** _

_I rub my face with my hands to find it wet with tears that I didn’t even realize I had shed. I’m breathing so hard I’m nearly hyperventilating and yet it feels next to impossible to get enough air into my lungs. I flop back into my bed against the pile of pillows, looking around my bedroom to confirm that I’m all alone._

_I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing the heels of my hands into my eye sockets as I try to purge the images that linger in my mind from the nightmare that never seems to end. It still feels so real. I swear that I can still feel Callahan and McCaffrey running their hands over my body, the hot blasts of their breath against my skin._

_I sit up, quickly scanning my arms, not even certain what I’m actually looking for. I’m stunned to find claw marks down the length of both of my arms. I lightly run the tips of my fingers over the deep scratches, wondering how I could have managed to hurt myself in my sleep without even being aware of it._

_I’ve caught myself rubbing my arms on more than one occasion in an effort to banish the persistent brush of their fingers against my skin that I swear I can still feel there. I’ve nearly rubbed my skin raw in the shower with my loofah sponge. It’s something that I can’t seem to stop doing, trying desperately to erase their fingerprints from my body along with the memories that have been imprinted in my mind. I don’t even know that I’m doing it sometimes until I notice the evidence of it._

_Getting up, I walk into my bathroom and splash some cool water on my face. I carefully clean the small streaks of blood off my arms before leaving the bathroom. Grabbing my silk bathrobe, I slip my arms through the sleeves, frowning as the fabric tugs and pulls across the deep scratches. At least I know they’ll be healed and gone in a day or so._

_Pulling my hair free from the confines of my robe, I make my way to the small end table in the corner of my room where I keep several candles for meditation and prayer. Kneeling before the table, I light each candle with trembling hands. My gods have yet to answer my prayers and petitions. I fear now will be no different, but I have to try. I have nowhere else to turn._

_I sink back on my heels, releasing a shaky breath. I bow my head as I clear my mind, my hair falling around my face like an inky veil. I try to banish the lingering horrors that my nightmares have conjured as well as the demons that seem to have found solace in my soul._

_I begin to softly plead for answers, for relief from the onslaught of emotions that blindside me at any given moment. They’re always righter there lying beneath the surface, stronger sometimes and more easily suppressed at other times. I loathe feeling so lost, so out of control and unlike my typical confident, happy self._

_I’ve been stripped of something that I can’t quite grasp hold of, a piece of me stolen that I fear that I’ll never find or get back. Thousands of fears and questions assault me like crashing waves breaking over me, forcing me to wonder if Bruce will still care about me if I never find my way…if I’m never me again._

_It feels like an eternity since I’ve received any sort of answer from my deities. It leaves me feeling very lonely and abandoned. I’ve been banished from the only home I’ve ever known, never to set foot on my island ever again. My own gods and goddesses seem to have forsaken me, refusing to answer or acknowledge me._

_I feel as though I’ve lost so much in the last year and a half, more than I feel at times as though I can handle. In the midst of it, though, I remind myself that I’ve gained dear friends as well as a relationship with a man who has managed to steal my heart._

_In desperation for answers, I begin to pray louder, my entire body trembling with fury with their lack of response. It tears at my heart, leaving it raw and fractured. Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Hestia…I beg for anyone who will listen to me, anyone who will put me back together again so I can just be me and move on with my life with Bruce again._

_Just when I think that I can’t take it a moment longer, I feel unexpected arms slipping around me and pulling me in. I find my head being cradled by a large hand, my face pressing against a muscular chest, a strong arm wrapping protectively around me as he holds me close._

_I instantly melt into his embrace; leaning heavily against his chest as he pulls me even closer if that’s possible. He presses his face into my hair on the top of my head, just holding me close as I cling to him like a small child. I hate showing such vulnerability and yet I need him more than my next breath right now._

_He’s become my anchor in a tempestuous storm, the calming eye of my tornado. It goes against everything that I’ve ever been taught or trained to be, needing this man to help hold me together, but I can’t find the strength to let go of him. Instead of pushing him away, I want to draw him closer still, to be wrapped up tight in our own private cocoon._

_Mother would be so ashamed of me right now if she saw me like this, my fingers curling into the soft fabric of his t-shirt as he just holds me. I try to gather myself in order to find my voice, but it’s difficult. Everything has changed so dramatically in my life, nothing will ever be the same again._

_“Are you all right?”_

_The soft, soothing baritone of his voice filters through the thick cloud of emotions that try to hold me hostage. “I fine,” I murmur mechanically. It’s become my go-to line of reassurance, one that Bruce has always used for as long as I’ve known him. I know he believes it as much as I always believe him when he says it…which is not at all._

_He releases a breath that brushes across my skin like a warm breeze on my face as I glance up at him. The worry that reflects in his piercing blue eyes stabs at my heart all over again. “No, you’re not, Diana,” he tells me as his hand moves to grasp my jaw with a gentle grip. “I could hear you yelling Greek curses from the hallway. You were trembling when I came in here. That’s not like you. What’s going on?_

_I fight the shudder that rolls through me, the anger that still consumes me. I want to tear something apart, to pour all of these dark emotions inside of me into something else so I can just purge them from my system. I want to be rid of them forever and be me again, but I don’t know how._

_“Talk to me, Diana,” he says again, tightening his hold on me._

_“I feel as though my gods have abandoned me,” I admit in a voice that is far too tremulous and small for my liking. I detest sounding and appearing weak and fragile in front of him._

_If he notices, he thankfully doesn’t mention how broken I sound. Instead, he asks, “Why do you say that?”_

_“It doesn’t matter,” I retort as I try to pull away from his hold on me. I’ve humiliated myself enough for one night. It’s time to put an end to this embarrassment._

_He doesn’t seem to agree as he pulls me back against his chest and into his lap, forcing me to stay with him though I could easily break free if I really wanted to. Fortunately for him, I’m quite content to let him hold me as long as I don’t have to look into those penetrating eyes that seem to know me better than I know myself._

_“It matters to me,” he firmly states as he rubs my back, obviously hoping I’ll open up to him._

_I draw a deep, fortifying breath before responding, hoping my voice and the unshed tears culminating inside of me don’t betray me. “I’ve prayed for deliverance, but they refuse to even acknowledge me.”_

_He sits there for a long moment, not saying anything as if weighing my words. I feel ridiculous revealing such a thing to him, knowing that he’s not a believer in my deities though he’s had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting Hades himself._

_“You’re still having nightmares,” he quietly states as a fact and I can tell that it hurts him to know that I’m haunted by demons that refuse to let go of me. “Maybe they’re testing you, wanting you to learn something from the traumatic event that you went through.”_

_His words take me by surprise as I find myself pulling back just enough to look into the eyes that I’d been trying so hard to avoid. “Like what?”_

_His lips thin into a grim line, his blue eyes filled with such concern before abruptly hardening like diamonds. “I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” he admits. “After what you went through…to have them ignore you after all you’ve done in their name the last two years…it’s unforgiveable.”_

_I run my hand over his chest, appreciating his anger with them. I feel my own anger bone deep, incredulous with why they would forsake me like this. “I just feel so alone,” I confess, my eyes falling to his t-shirt. “My gods have forsaken me…so has my mother and my sisters.”_

_He sighs as he runs his fingers through my hair, his probing gaze searching my face. “I’m sorry, Princess,” he tells me, helplessness filling his voice. “I wish I could make it all better for you.”_

_“It’s not your fault, Bruce,” I reassure him. “I have you and that’s more than enough.”_

_“I wish I could be more for you,” he replies with a frown, his lips finding mine in a tender kiss. “I want to take away your pain and anger…the nightmares and loneliness. I want to see you smile again like you used to.”_

_I shift my position, my knees falling to either side of his hips as he kisses me again. Straddling him, my hands move to grasp his jaw as I rise up on my knees. I tilt my head as I deepen the kiss, taking comfort from the emotion that he’s pouring into the intimate moment._

_My heart is racing as we share the same breath, his fingers slipping into my hair to cradle the back of my head. I want this man so badly, to feel his hands and mouth all over my body and to just forget the anger and pain for a little while. I need to feel something good and real and passionate. I need to feel him inside of me, showing me what it is that he truly feels in his heart for me._

_We finally break the kiss for much needed air, breathing heavily as we gaze intently at each other. His blue eyes are dark and stormy, setting my blood on fire for more of him. His hands move from my hair to settle on my hips that are grinding against his._

_He gasps sharply as his head falls back, his mouth falling open as he struggles to catch his breath. I can feel how aroused he is right now. It’s only making me want him even more, especially with the lust and desire that I notice permeating his eyes._

_Unable to bear it a moment longer, I crush my mouth to his, pressing my breasts against his muscular chest. His hands roam over my back, pressing me incredibly closer. I fist his hair in my hands as his tongue probes my mouth, so insistent and possessive and I want more. I want him…every single inch of him._

_I tilt my head to the side as Bruce begins to plant kisses along my jaw and down my throat only to stop before he can reach the edge of my robe covering my breasts. He presses his forehead against mine, his breath hot pants against my face. My hands find his jaw, confused as to why he stopped when all I want is so much more of him._

_“What’s wrong?” I breathlessly ask._

_His hands come to rest on either side of my neck as he struggles for something, but I’m not quite sure what it is. “We can’t,” he finally whispers after what feels like an eternity._

_Confusion takes over the passion of just moments ago as I try to understand. “Why not?”_

_“I…I won’t take advantage of you when you’re vulnerable, Diana,” he tells me._

_I can’t help but frown with his admission. “I’m not vulnerable, Bruce,” I insist. “I’m a grown woman. I know exactly what I’m doing. I’ve wanted you for so long now.”_

_“It’s too soon,” he claims as he pulls away from me, disengaging himself from me before standing to his feet._

_My anger begins to swell as I watch him back away from me. He sits on the foot of my bed, leaning forward to hold his head in his hands in an effort to gather himself. I pull my knees up to my chest as I sit on the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs as I try to keep the anger at bay._

_“It’s not too soon,” I bite out. “I’m fine, Bruce.”_

_He looks up at me with sadness permeating his eyes and I know in that moment he’s not going to change his mind about us tonight. “Diana, you’re not fine,” he firmly states. “You’re not being honest with me or yourself.”_

_“What are you talking about?” I demand to know, my eyes narrowing dangerously as if challenging him to say that I’m not ready to make love with him._

_“I know there’s far more that you endured…more that you haven’t told anyone about…not even me,” he replies, tone filled with anguish. “I won’t take advantage of you when you’re still struggling to deal with the trauma you endured.”_

_“Bruce—”_

_“I saw the panic in your eyes when I pinned you to the mat in the training room the other day. It’ll only get worse if we make love right now. You’re not going to be able to handle me touching you…making love to you or having me on top of you. I want our first time together to be something that you never forget, not a horrible memory that only causes you more pain or causes more nightmares. I couldn’t bear that, Diana.”_

_“You’re not taking advantage of me if I want to make love with you,” I snap as I stand to my feet, wrapping my arms around myself. I turn my back to him, refusing to look at him. “Just admit it, Bruce. You don’t want to be with me, not after what they did to me.”_

_The unexpected feel of his hands on my shoulders causes me to instantly stiffen as instincts take over. I tamp down the innate urge to fight, forcing my fists to my sides. He presses his forehead against the back of my head and I feel a small measure of my anger melting away as his arms encircle my waist._

_“I have never wanted any woman as much as I want you,” he firmly admits, “but I know you’re not ready for this…ready to be with me physically. I promise that we’ll work through this together and, when you’re ready, I will be here. When that time comes for us to be together, it will be amazing in every way imaginable…even better than my dreams.”_

_I release a ragged breath, wishing he’d change his mind, but I know he won’t. I know it’s only because he cares about me. I turn around to face him, my head lowered as I gaze up at him through my eyelashes. “Will you at least stay in my bed with me tonight?”_

_He considers it for a moment, clearly struggling with the decision. “That…I think I can do,” he ultimately tells me, taking my hand in his. He brings it to his mouth, placing a kiss on the back of my hand as his expression softens. “Just don’t try anything, Princess. You try to take advantage of me and I’ll be forced to go back to my bedroom.”_

_I smile despite myself, appreciating his effort to lighten the mood. He leads me back to my bed, reaching for my bathrobe to untie it from around my waist, but I quickly stop him. I can’t let him see the marks on my arms or he’ll never believe me that I’m fine._

_He gives me a curious look, but thankfully doesn’t question me about it. He climbs into bed with me, adjusting the covers over us before pulling me in close to him. I go willingly, snuggling against him and finally finding a sense of peace that I’d been missing for far too long._

_I drape my arm across his torso as I lay my head on his chest, a thought suddenly occurring to me. “So you’ve dreamed about being with me?”_

_“What would you say if I said yes?”_

_“I would say that I’ve dreamt about being with you too,” I confess._

_I hear him release a shuddering breath and I know that I’ve just made it that much harder for him to be here in my bed with me like this. “You’re killing me, Princess,” he growls, his voice husky and strained. “We have to talk about something else or I’ll have to go to my bedroom.”_

_“Sorry,” I apologize, pressing my lips to his jaw._

_A soft chuckle fills my bedroom, causing both of us to shake together. “No you’re not,” he teases me with a groan as I press another kiss to the spot beneath his ear. “Princess…”_

_“Okay, I’ll behave…even though I don’t want to,” I tell him, knowing I need to change the subject. “How was patrol?”_

_He grows silent, his muscles immediately tensing beneath me. “Another girl was abducted.”_

_My heart drops with the news and I have to know more. “What was her name?”_

_“Becca Mathis,” he softly says._

_I know how hard this is for him. It’s bad enough that it’s happening in his beloved city, but it’s also a stark reminder of my abduction. Every time a girl goes missing, he is forced to relive my abduction all over again “Any leads yet?”_

_“None,” he states. “I’ve ruled out several possibilities, but that still leaves me with no idea who is behind this or what he wants with these girls.”_

_“We’ll figure it out, Bruce,” I reassure him. “We’ll find them and we’ll catch the person behind this. I can be Nemesis again.”_

_“No, you’re not going out into Gotham as Nemesis,” he firmly states._

_“I can help you as Nemesis and you know it, Bruce,” I tell him, making sure he knows I’m not going to give up the battle to be his partner again._

_He rubs my back as silence settles over us. It’s his only response as his mind no doubt takes him back to the abduction tonight…and more than likely to my own. I hope it doesn’t conjure any nightmares for him. I’ve been doing battles with nightmares, but I know that he has too. I’ve heard him calling out for me in the night._

_As sleep begins to take hold, I send up a silent prayer for these girls who have gone missing, uncertain if any of my gods are even listening to me anymore. It breaks my heart to think my faith that was once so very strong and seemingly indestructible is suddenly crumbling beneath me._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham University; April 8th; 13:56 EST_ **

I drive through the campus of Gotham University, my thoughts consumed with Bruce despite the beauty of the landscape that surrounds me. I can’t shake the overwhelming feeling that he’s in trouble somehow. Despite being able to talk to him for a couple of minutes last night, I feel as though he’s gotten himself into something far more dangerous than we can even begin to imagine.

I want to track him down and find him. It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve seen him. Our last moments together were fraught with so much emotion and tension, mostly anger and hurt on my part…overwhelming frustration on his part. I regret how things had been left between us, so much hanging so heavily in the air, oppressive and crushing. So many things had been left unsaid; so much that we need to talk about.

I want to feel him in my arms, the pressure and taste of his lips against mine. I miss the nights that he spends in my bed just holding me, his arms wrapped around me. It’s those nights that I find that I sleep the best. At those times, the nightmares don’t dare attack either of us in our safe haven we have found in each other.

We have so much that we need to work through right now. It’s impossible to do that with him in the underbelly crime world of Gotham all alone with no backup. I knew that I shouldn’t have let him go off on his own like that. I should’ve gone with him despite his insistence otherwise, following him from a distance even though that’s an impossibility when it comes to Bruce. He somehow always knows when someone is there.

I try my best to set aside my worry for him, knowing there isn’t anything I can do about it right now. I need to focus instead on trying to help him in other ways like trying to solve this case so he can finally come home again…come home to me.

It’s been tense between us to say the least. I know he’s trying to give me space, patiently waiting and letting me come to him in my own time. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get to that point yet. Insecurities and fears have kept those things bottled up so tightly inside of me, refusing to be released. I’m afraid it will only end up suffocating me as well as our relationship.

As I park my SUV, I pause to close my eyes, performing a deep breathing meditation exercises meant to cleanse my mind and calm my heart, but they haven’t worked at all these last six months. I’m not sure why I think it’ll suddenly help now of all times.

Getting out of my SUV, I turn to open the back door to retrieve my purse and bag for the meeting, my thoughts still swirling around Bruce. Despite this, I sense someone coming up behind me, causing me to freeze and my fingers to curl into tight fists. My breathing grows shallow as I struggle to remain in control.

My instincts kick into high gear, telling me to attack before being taken again, but I swallow the near irresistible desire coursing through me. Revealing my true identity wouldn’t help in the least and I don’t want to put Bruce at any more risk than he already is right now.

Calming the flame of fear burning inside of me, I turn around with my belongings in my left hand, surprised to find Jason Trask standing in front of me. “Jason,” I greet him with a forced smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I had a meeting with the head of security for the campus,” he reveals, a look of uncertainty flickering over his face. “I saw you pulling in and thought I’d ask if you were free for dinner with me tonight.”

I inhale a deep breath, releasing it slowly through my nose as I try to discover what his true intentions are with his invitation. I had told him before I could be his friend, but he doesn’t seem to have gotten the message if the way his gaze is roaming over me is any indication.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Jason,” I tell him, adjusting my wire-rim glasses.

He appears deflated for a moment and I relax minutely only to have him recover quickly. Determination takes over and I know that this is going in a direction that I didn’t want it to. “You’re not even going to let me take you to dinner?” he asks with barely restrained anger, his eyes darkening like an impending storm. “We used to go out together frequently.”

As if on cue, it begins to drizzle softly, tiny raindrops creating spots on my glasses. “I told you that you and I could only be friends,” I remind him, glancing at the sky that is steadily darkening and wondering if Bruce is somewhere safe from the terrible storm that is beginning to roll in.

He visibly tenses as he shoves a hand into his dress pants pocket, his brow knitting together. “The very least you could do is give me a fair chance to win your heart, Diana,” he tells me with a razor-sharp edge to his voice. “You’re just writing us off like we mean absolutely nothing to each other. We were beginning to grow close before Bruce Wayne decided that he wanted you for himself.”

“Jason, I’m not having this conversation with you here,” I reply with a patience that I definitely do not feel.

“Talk to me, Diana,” he presses with sudden urgency as he takes a couple of steps closer to me, keeping me trapped between him and my SUV. “What is it about Bruce that I don’t have?”

“I love him, Jason,” I reveal. I don’t want to hurt him, but he’s pushed me to that point. “You’re just going to have to accept that and move on…find a woman who can give you what I can’t.”

He snorts derisively as a dark glower takes over his features as he averts his eyes. “I thought you of all people were a lot smarter than that, but I guess I was wrong about you,” he seethes, taking a moment to compose himself before continuing. “Bruce is nothing more than a bed-hopping lush who isn’t happy unless he’s between the legs of a beautiful woman.”

“Jason—”

“Wake up, Diana,” he angrily snaps. “You’re nothing more to him than just another notch on his bedpost, another story that he can brag about to his drunken friends at the next social event. He’s going to bed you and dump you like trash.”

I want nothing more than to slap this man senseless for his crude comments, not so much for me as it is for Bruce. I hate how the world wrongly views him as a vile human being who is interested in nothing but sex and parties. I remind myself that I know the real man behind the playboy façade he purports. I know his heart, the strength and the compassion that are there if one takes the time to look for it.

I clench my jaw, doing my best to control my fury, but it’s proving to be next to impossible as the rain begins to fall a little harder. “I believe this conversation is over,” I state in a deadly calm voice that no doubt reveals my anger with him.

As I begin to push past him, he roughly grabs hold of my upper arm to stop me from leaving. I immediately react, pulling my arm free with a heated glare that causes him to visibly flinch. He takes a couple of steps back, looking a little afraid for his life for a brief moment.

“I…I’m sorry, Diana. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that, especially after what you went through,” he softly apologizes with unmistakable sorrow. “What did those animals do to you?”

I stare at him in stunned disbelief, wondering what sort of expression had crossed my face that had given away what lies inside of me. “You have the report that Commissioner Gordon took right after I was rescued,” I icily remind him, not wanting to go down this road with him no matter what. I can’t even go down it with Bruce. I definitely won’t do it with Jason.

“Why do I have the feeling there are things that happened to you that aren’t in Jim’s report?” he presses.

“Jim didn’t leave anything out,” I snap. “He wrote done everything I told him.”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he counters, refusing to back down. “You’ve never really told anyone have you?”

“If you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting I’m going to be late for,” I tell him. “I’ll see you later, Jason.”

I hear him sigh as I walk away, my heart pounding wildly in my chest as the rain continues to fall. “Diana, you can’t run away from this forever,” he tells me, his voice full of compassion and understanding despite our fight. “I can’t guarantee that you won’t have to testify in court at his trial.”

The thought is like a fist to my gut. I feel nausea rising up and burning the back of my throat, but I swallow it back down. I’m not afraid of that monster. There is absolutely nothing that Declan McCaffrey can ever do to me. Never again. Instead, I’m filled with blinding rage and loathing towards the man.

I am Wonder Woman, Princess of the Amazons. I fear no man.

I repeat the words over and over in my head, chanting it to myself as I walk towards my destination. I fight the tremble that I feel racing through me, unwilling to give in to the storm of emotions coalescing inside of me. I grit my teeth and tighten my hold on my bag, confusion drifting through me.

I don’t know why my emotions are so volatile and difficult to rein-in. I’ve always been a person of great emotion and empathy, compassion and love, but I’m usually better able to handle it…to channel it and use it to my benefit. Now, it feels as though everything is so out of control.

The longer I try to make everyone believe that I’m fine the harder it’s becoming to keep a tight grip on my emotions. It feels as though I’m becoming harder on the outside and crumbling a little more every day on the inside. I don’t even know if that correctly describes how I’m feeling, but I’m doing what I have been trained all my life to do—never show weakness.

Something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention and it causes me to slow my pace. I spot a strange looking man sitting on a bench several yards away. He doesn’t appear as though he belongs here, but he isn’t doing anything wrong either. He looks away from me, his focus turning back to the newspaper he’s reading.

I frown for a moment, feeling as though he’s someone I might know, but he appears to be in a poor state of dress. He’s rough looking, but doesn’t appear to be dangerous at the moment. He’s more than likely an undercover GCPD officer keeping watch on the campus. Still, I make a mental note to myself to follow him if he’s still here when I’m done with my meeting with the dean.

I smile politely at him as he glances at me once more over the top of his newspaper. I can’t help but notice the emotion that permeates his intense green eyes as he stares at me, holding my attention a heartbeat longer than is necessary. I wonder what is happening in his life to cause him to look so upset. I nod slightly as I continue, approaching the building that houses the dean of students.

I enter, my brow furrowing in thought. I can’t deny the unexpected pull I felt towards that strange man. I chalk it up to fatigue, remembering that I’ve slept very little since Bruce has been gone. I swallow the loneliness that wells up in my chest, knowing that I need to focus on why I’m here.

I have a meeting with the dean to discuss the scholarships that will be available to incoming students next year through the Wayne Foundation’s charitable department. Despite what Ariel has done, I’m pleased that we’ve been able to recover a considerable amount of the stolen money so far. It’s only a matter of time before we recover all of it.

I have to admit that’s not my only reason for being here. Even though my department has nothing to do with the search for the missing girls, I decided last night that it wouldn’t be out of the way for me to stop to talk to the head of campus security. It would only be natural while I’m here to give my condolences on behalf of Bruce Wayne and to offer any support that Wayne Enterprises can provide.

I’ll just have to find a way to work in the questions I have about the missing Michael Kozak. We have been unable to find him since he mysteriously quit his security job yesterday morning, the house he is renting revealing no clues whatsoever last night.

I’m hoping my impromptu meeting will shed some much needed light on this young man and hopefully point us in the right direction so we can end this nightmare once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Whoa! Never mess with Diana! And who was that man sitting on that bench watching Diana? Hmmm...guess we'll have to wait to find out.
> 
> UP NEXT: Wonder Woman is back in action with the League! How will it go? In the present, a body unexpectedly turns up in an alley in Gotham. Who could it be? :)


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_**Washington D.C.; November 8th, 17:55 EST** _

_I fly over one city after another, a single destination in mind as I head towards the nation’s capitol like a missile. Batman requesting backup is a rare occurrence, but, when it does happen, I know that it’s very real. I can still hear the urgency in his voice when he requested support as well as something more that I don’t want to think about._

_It may have been fear, but it was never for himself. He never feared for himself. He’s too selfless to ever fear for his own life. It was fear for others—the citizens, his teammates. It makes my heart surge with urgency and a sense of fear for him, knowing that he’ll do everything in his power to save another life at the expense of his own._

_I push myself harder as the Pentagon comes into view, growing larger the closer I get. Past it, billows of smoke rise up into the air in plumes of gray and black, obscuring the battle from my sight. It quickly becomes suffocating as I approach it, the wind rushing in my ears as I dive through the blinding smoke that burns my eyes. I don’t care, though. I have to find my teammates. I have to find Bruce._

_I fight back a choking cough as I fly blindly into Hera knows what. I can hear the screams and cries of people below, but I can’t see the cause of it. I brace myself for anything as I draw nearer. Something hits me out of nowhere, blindsiding me and causing my left shoulder to throb mercilessly, but I ignore it as I turn my attention to whatever is attacking me._

_Through the thick curls of dark clouds, I instinctively reach out with my right hand, slamming my fist into something only to discover it’s made of some kind of metal. I stifle my surprise as I wrap my fingers around wires and steel and pull hard as I remove my fist. A shower of sparks explodes around me, a deafening whirling sound piercing the air and making my head ring._

_I raise my bracers to block my face from the explosion, but I can still feel the searing burn of bits of metal against my skin as it rains down on me like burning ash. I curse as I feel a burn like a bolt of lightning hit me between the shoulder blades. Whatever these things are they’re definitely relentless in their attack…and there are more of them than I can imagine._

_With a furious cry, I spin in the air, slamming my fists into the metal that is set on my demise. I quickly hinder its plans by ripping it to shreds with my bare hands, enraged that it’s keeping me from getting to my teammates. The mechanical menace explodes as I tear it apart, spitting more burning pieces of metal on me._

_I can feel the countless burns, but ignore it as I grow more furious by the second. I manage to hit my commlink with one hand as my other hand grabs another flying object that looks like a huge metal spider. “Wonder Woman to Batman. Come in.”_

_Static fills my ear before the sound of Bruce’s voice replaces it much to my relief. “Diana! Where are you?”_

_“Above you…somewhere…I…I think,” I reply._

_My words come out halting and breathless as I whip my head back from a claw that unexpectedly comes out of its head straight for mine. I do my best to hold it as far away from me as I can, but its protruding arm only seems to extend with its determined attempt to kill me._

_“Are you all right?”_

_I can hear the worry in his voice and it pricks my annoyance. “I’m fine,” I snap, crushing the metallic spider in my hand and tossing it aside. “Where are you?”_

_“Lincoln Memorial,” he reveals. “We’re trying to take the fight out over the Potomac.”_

_“Where are these flying spiders coming…”_

_I’m unable to finish my sentence as another one strikes. I grab my side, immediately feeling something wet and know it’s blood. I decide that I’ve had enough of this as I reach for my lasso. Bruce is yelling in my ear, asking if I’m all right, but I don’t have time to answer. I use my lasso to wrap around it before spinning as fast as I can._

_Through the thick clouds, I can hear the crash and scrape of metal against metal as it connects with several other metallic spiders. My movement clears a path through the dense haze, allowing me to see better and to actually get a momentary breath of fresh air._

_It also allows me a clear view of the source of all this madness. It’s a larger version of the metallic spiders, standing at least five stories tall. It’s shooting powerful beams at my teammates who are trying to mount a counterattack but it’s useless. It’s long, spindly legs are planted deep into the concrete as if determined to be a part of the historic memorial that surrounds it, but it doesn’t belong here._

_“Diana!”_

_I finally register Bruce’s voice still filling my ear as I loop my lasso and attach it to my hip, my sights set on the source of this chaos. “I’m going after that thing,” I inform him, my entire body consumed with blinding rage that I can no longer contain. I will not allow this new threat hurt any more people._

_“Diana, no!” he yells in my ear. “We need to regroup and…”_

_“Just stay clear,” I tell him before flying towards the monster attacking my friends._

_I hear him curse before yelling my name again, but I ignore him as I fly straight for the metallic giant. It quickly turns its attention on me, shooting its beams directly at me and giving my teammates a reprieve. I throw my bracers up before me, expertly blocking each beam that comes my way._

_I fly in circles around it, diving in and out of the dangerous beams that are destroying the area. Flying in close, I slam my fist into one of its eyes, effectively disabling one of the beams trying to take me out. I glance down to see Batman, Green Arrow, and Doctor Light fighting the smaller flying spiders. Flash shows up in the next second to assist, a red streak that zig-zags in an attempt to take out the spiders._

_A swarm of flying spiders come straight for me, intent on stopping me, but Doctor Light is right on their tail and giving me the time I need to end this. I rip out the second eye, effectively stopping its ability to shoot anymore of my teammates._

_I grab my lasso once more, whipping it around the monstrous entity and allowing it to settle around its legs. I tighten the lasso and pull with all my might. I grit my teeth as sweat forms on my brow and trickles down my back, my heart pounding in my ears. I feel it beginning to teeter and waver, its legs buckling._

_I swiftly fly past it, forcing it to fall into the Potomac to keep it from causing any more destruction than it already has. It lands in the river with a splash, creating an enormous wave. Retrieving my lasso, I hook it on my waist before flying towards my friends who are finishing off the pesky flying spiders that have invaded our nation’s capital._

_Landing on the ground, I punch one coming for me, my fury still pounding through my veins. I’m almost disappointed that the fight is over is soon. I was finally beginning to feel like myself once more, the recent events that have been gnawing at my soul momentarily forgotten as the warrior born and trained to save has resurfaced once more._

_“Diana!”_

_I turn to find Green Arrow coming my way, a grim expression on his face. “Is that all of them?” I ask him._

_“I think so,” he says with a weary sigh. “Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes. We were overwhelmed with those flying bugs.”_

_“Where did they come from?”_

_“Not sure,” Batman states with a hard edge to his voice. He looks pissed and I have a feeling I’m the source of it. “It just showed up an hour ago. It’s probably from some other planet. I’ve never seen technology quite like it.”_

_“We should probably get these metal spiders back to the Watchtower so Cyborg can run tests on them,” Doctor Light suggests._

_I cross my arms against my chest as my gaze darkens, ignoring the way that Bruce is staring at me through the narrowed slits of his cowl as if he’s about to explode into a scathing lecture the likes of which I’ve never heard before. “Are we done here then?” I ask._

_Flash races up beside me, his hands coming to rest on his knees as he breathes heavily. “Wow!” he exclaims. “That was quite a workout. Wondy, why didn’t you tell me that you were leaving to come here?”_

_I sheepishly evade everyone’s stares, my jaw tightening with the anger I still feel. I do not now nor will I ever require a babysitter to go on missions despite what Bruce thinks with his stupid two week probation requirement. “I thought we were done with our mission in Louisiana,” I attempt to convince him._

_“Well…I guess we kinda were,” he reluctantly concedes as he straightens up, rubbing his shoulder. “I took care of the last couple of sandbags before following you here.”_

_“You had it in hand and they needed help,” I state, hoping to diffuse the tension that fills the air around us._

_“Wondy, you look like hell,” Flash notices. “You should go to the infirmary and have J’onn treat those burns.”_

_I look down at the various burns that mar my skin. I finally notice the blood that stains my side. “I’m fine,” I insist. “It looks like you all need to go the med bay.”_

_Batman’s uniform is torn in places, blood seeping from a wound on his shoulder. Arrow is holding his side and Doctor Light has various wounds on her legs and arms. Flash appears to be the only one who doesn’t need some sort of medical attention._

_“I have to return to Gotham,” Batman angrily growls, turning on his heel and storming away._

_I know that he’s pretty furious with me, but I did my job and I did it well. He cannot argue with the results. “I need to leave too,” I inform them, taking to the air as various emergency crews arrive on the scene to help._

_I don’t bother to stick around to see Flash and the others helping with clean up. My thoughts are too consumed with anger and the warrior spirit that is still singing in my veins. I want another fight, to pound something into oblivion, but I know I need to return to the manor and deal with Bruce._

_Flying towards Gotham, I have plenty of time to think…too much time. It only seems to resurrect feelings and images that I’m trying so hard to bury. My mother’s words continue to fill my mind as well, reminding me of what I need to do to deal with these dark feelings storming inside my soul._

_“Never show weakness, my sun and stars…”_

_“Bury your pain…hold your head high…”_

_“It is the way of the Amazons…”_

_I attempt to steal myself against these unwanted emotions as I had been trained all my life, but it doesn’t seem to be working this time. I am filled with so much ire and an overwhelming need to tear something apart with my bare hands. I want to scream and pound my fists, but I cannot do that. The only outlet I have now is in battle, but the battle is over and now I must rein it all in once more._

_Flying through the secret tunnel, I enter the cave to find Batman climbing out of his Batwing. His posture is like bottled fireworks about to explode as he stalks straight towards me. I can’t help the small shiver that races through me, the cave practically vibrating with the angry pound of his footsteps. He tears his cowl off and tosses it aside as he draws closer, his gauntlets swiftly following his cowl’s fate._

_I open my mouth, ready to argue my case when he roughly grabs me and pulls me hard against him. He mouth crashes against mine the next second, hard and urgent as he devours me. His hands roam over me, seemingly finding every burn and wound, but I ignore it as I melt into the harshness of his kiss._

_After several dizzying moments of passion, he pulls back with a sharp gasp, both of us struggling to catch our breath. He releases me just as swiftly as he grabbed me just moments ago, running his hand over his face and mouth as he turns his back to me. I can see the internal war that is being waged inside of him, the way he’s wrestling to figure out how to express what he’s feeling at that moment. I know it’s something that’s not easy for him to do._

_His chin falls to his chest and I feel a surge of guilt welling in my throat. “Bruce…” I begin._

_“You scared the hell out of me,” he interrupts with a deadly calm air that causes tingles to ripple through me. The barely restrained fury that’s consuming him makes me take pause._

_“I didn’t mean to scare you,” I tell him._

_“You were impulsive,” he presses as he at last turns to face me, his blue eyes dark and haunting._

_I frown at him, not appreciating his rebuking tone. I am not a child nor am I a rookie. “I saw you were in trouble and I reacted.”_

_“I told you we needed to regroup,” he angrily countered._

_“I had it under control,” I insist, my anger thundering through me once more._

_“You could have been killed, Princess,” he growls, each word punctuated by his fear as he closes the distance between us. Even his name of affection that he always uses for me holds nothing but anger right now._

_I refuse to back down as we stand face-to-face. His stormy emotions are right there in his eyes for me to see. It’s shocking to see in someone who keeps his emotions tucked safely behind a thick wall reinforced with an icy demeanor and terse comments._

_“I’m sorry, Bruce,” I apologize. “I’m sorry that I scared you, but I refuse to apologize for saving your life. I will never apologize for that. You mean far too much to me to not try to save you no matter the situation you’re in.”_

_“I know, but I don’t want you to,” he yells. “You don’t understand what it does to me…in here.”_

_He pounds his fist against his chest just above his heart. The intensity of his emotions momentarily takes me by surprise before fueling my own anger. “This isn’t just about today, is it?” I demand to know. “This is about me allowing myself to be kidnapped in order to protect you…what Callahan and MacCaffrey did to me.”_

_He whirls on his heel, turning his back to me. His chest is heaving as he holds his head in his hands. “It’s not just about that,” he claims._

_“Then what is it, Bruce?” I question him. “You’re allowed to protect me, but I’m not allowed to protect you?”_

_“Diana, you don’t understand,” he seethed, wrestling with something far darker and buried far deeper inside of him than I’m afraid I can reach._

_“Then help me to understand,” I plead with him._

_“You want me to talk and to help you understand, but you refuse to talk to me about what those animals did to you,” he tells me with a brokenness that takes me by surprise as he faces me once more._

_It feels as though the air has just been sucked from my lungs as he looks at me with anguish swimming in his eyes. “I…I told you,” I softly maintain, afraid to test my voice._

_He slowly shakes his head as he stares at me. “No, you haven’t, Diana,” he states. “You can’t ask me to bear my soul to you when you still can’t talk to me about what happened to you.”_

_I feel my eyes grow moist, but I slam my eyes shut against the unwanted tears. An Amazon does not cry no matter how much it hurts inside. “There’s nothing more to talk about, Bruce,” I reply, trying desperately to convince him. “They touched me and tortured me…I survived it and now I’m okay.”_

_He releases a weary sigh as he pulls me into a fierce embrace, one that would’ve crushed a normal woman. As it is, it just reminds me of my injuries that are now screaming at me. It also reminds me how much he truly cares for me._

_“I wish I could believe that, Princess,” he murmurs into my hair. “I want to more than anything, but I know that you’re not. You’re not okay no matter how much you try to convince everyone or yourself, but I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk to me.”_

_He pulls back and gently presses his lips against my forehead. My eyes fall closed as a thousand years of training that has been ingrained into my very soul wages war against what my heart is telling me. I tighten my hold on him, refusing to let go just yet._

_He taps his commlink as he releases his hold on me. “What is it, Oracle?”_

_His face expresses his growing rage as his hands clench tightly. I’m afraid I already know what he’s going to tell me, but I have to ask anyway. “What is it?” I whisper._

_“Another girl has been reported missing from GU,” he informs me before turning his attention back to Oracle. “Send me all you have on Kennedy Jamison. I’ll go investigate her dorm room. Batman out.”_

_“Bruce, what in Hades…is going on?” I ask him, angry with myself as my voice cracks against my will._

_“I don’t know, Princess,” he states, “but I’m going to find out.”_

_I can only nod as he turns to leave, rubbing my arms and taking comfort in the pain that I feel from the countless burns on my skin. I’d rather feel physical pain right now instead of the emotional pain that gnaws away at my insides day and night. Another girl has gone missing and the nightmare that haunts me every night is just beginning for her._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Batcave; April 8th, 23:53 EST_ **

I review the case files for what feels like the thousandth time, trying desperately to find something…anything that will help me break this case wide open before any more girls are taken. Besides, the sooner that we solve this case the sooner Bruce can come home.

I check the time on the computer again, anxiously anticipating his call. I can’t stop thinking about him. He’s been lingering there in my mind and weighing heavily on my heart. While I always worry about him, I can’t shake the feeling that something horrible has happened. 

It makes my heart beat a little harder, my apprehension rising. I need to hear his voice, to know that he’s all right and coming back soon. I try to remind myself that he’s only been gone for three days, but it doesn’t help. That’s why I like to be down here in the cave in his chair. It’s where I feel closest to him.

Pulling the collar of Bruce’s sweatshirt that I’m wearing to my nose, I inhale deeply. His masculine scent drifts over me once more, wrapping me up in him even though he’s not here. It’s as close to him as I can get right now with him out there in Gotham somewhere.

I check the clock again, disappointed to find that only a couple of minutes have passed since the last time I had checked. I begin to drum my fingers impatiently on the desk, hating the fact that he can contact me, but I can’t contact him. I have no way to find him if he is truly in trouble. He left his commlink behind much to my furious frustration with him.

I swear sometimes that stubborn man is going to be the death of me. He is so consumed with helping everyone at the risk of his own life; making foolish decisions in order to make sure no one else’s life is put in jeopardy but his own. I could have gone with him, could have helped him, but he already fears that I’m going to snap at any moment. He doesn’t trust me to handle this, but I know that I can.

I force myself to focus on the list of names that Bruce had complied that he was investigating. Michael Kozak has turned into a dead end for the moment. He’s MIA and nowhere to be found. His apartment is empty and so is his bank account. For now, he’s in the wind until we can find him.

My impromptu meeting with the head of security at Gotham University didn’t yield any information either. I had discreetly tried to find out about Kozak’s sudden unemployment, but he had no idea about his unexpected leave. I’d offered whatever support Wayne Enterprises could provide which he readily appreciated, but, at this point, it was mostly in the hands of the Gotham Police Department.

I scroll through the list of names, hoping that something about one of them will jump out at me. Bruce has already crossed a few of the names off the list, but there are many more people that still need to be investigated. I know that Oracle is working tirelessly to cut down our lengthy list, but the work is slow and tedious.

On top of that, Gotham hasn’t slowed down in the least despite this latest crisis. Crime is still happening on a daily and nightly basis. Thankfully, Robin has been able to focus on it with the help of Black Canary and Huntress, Dick showing up as Batman when he can. 

Despite all of this, I’m sure his beloved city still weighs heavily on Bruce’s mind despite his focus on this case. I know that he had to go undercover in order to find his childhood friend’s daughter and that is what is taking precedence in his mind at the moment, but I’m sure that his heart is torn between his duty to his friend and his mission to protect his city.

He doesn’t want anyone to go through any sort of trauma like he did at eight years old, for a child to lose his parents or even for a parent to lose a child. I just wish I could be out there with him, but he doesn’t want to share his pain with anyone…especially not me.

We make quite a pair. Both of us so broken inside, both of us unwilling to share our hurts and our fears with one another….both of us trying so hard to carry it all on our own without dragging each other into our private hell for fear of destroying the other.

“Superman to Wonder Woman.”

The sound of Kal’s voice in my ear only intensifies the anger smoldering in my veins. I still haven’t forgiven him for agreeing with Bruce for putting me on inactive duty. He’s the last person I want to talk to right now, but if he knows something about where Bruce is then I need to know too.

“This is Diana,” I respond after several moments. I can’t answer as Wonder Woman. That title has been benched along with me. Right now, I’m only Diana.

There is a pregnant pause before he speaks again, one that is fraught with tension. “How are you doing?” he tentatively asks.

“What do you think?” I snap, immediately regretting my angry retort. Kal is still my best friend despite the fact that we aren’t exactly on the best of terms at the moment.

“I’m sorry, Di,” he gently tells me and I hate the pity I hear beneath his apology. “I know this has been very difficult for you.”

“You have no idea, Kal,” I coolly state. “I need to be Wonder Woman now more than ever and you and Batman took that away from me.”

“It wasn’t a decision made by just the two of us and you know it,” he firmly replies. “It was a decision made by the Founders. We care about you, Diana. We’re all very worried about you.”

“I know…you’ve told me that already,” I remind him. “Do you know where Batman is?”

There is an audible sigh on the other end and I know that he’s as frustrated as I am, but I don’t care. I have bigger things to worry about now. “No, he only told me he was going undercover for a few days in Gotham and that he wanted me to check in on you.”

The corner of my lips twitches in amusement as I shake my head. “It seems that he told everyone to check on me,” I reply with a weariness that is bone deep. “I wish that he wouldn’t worry so much about me.”

“He loves you, Diana,” he tells me. “In all the years that I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him this in love with anyone. You two are good for each other. Don’t ever forget that.”

I feel my anger begin to falter as I blink back the tears that seem insistent on coming no matter what, but I refuse them once more. “I love him too,” I softly admit.

“Then you need to talk to him when he gets back, Di,” he encourages me. “You two can’t make this work if you both continue to keep each other at arms’ length. You need to let him in as much as he needs you.”

“It…it’s not how I was trained to deal with things, Kal,” I reveal with a sudden openness that surprises me.

“I know, but I also know that you’re the strongest woman I have ever known and, if anyone can get through this, it’s you,” he reassures me. “Just think about it. I’ll check in on you later. Superman out.”

I sit back in Bruce’s chair, hugging myself as his words continue to play over again in my mind. I glance at the clock again to find it’s well after midnight and still there’s been no communication from Bruce. I try not to let my imagination run away from me, but it’s difficult after the things I’ve seen and experienced since coming to Man’s World over two years ago.

With a sigh, I go back to reviewing the list of suspects, absentmindedly reaching for my cup of tea. I read over the notes that Bruce has made on each of his suspects, smiling to myself at his detailed remarks and how thorough he truly is when it comes to each investigation he undertakes.

Hector Ortiz works in the Information Technology support department at GU. There have been a few complaints from female students about some inappropriate comments and behavior. It appears that he’d been warned about this in the past and had been on probation, no more complaints from students over the last six months.

Peter Sutton is a registered sex offender who had been paroled from prison three weeks before the first kidnapping took place. He has been regularly checking in with his parole officer and appeared to be keeping his nose clean for the most part. Bruce has a note out to the side to follow up on him.

Mark Bennett is an ex-boyfriend of Willow Stevens. He has a documented history of prior violence and an uncontrollable temper. Willow had gotten a restraining order against him two months before her disappearance. It looks as though Bruce has cleared him, Mark having a solid alibi for the night that she went missing.

Adam Henry is a known drug dealer with several stints in prison. His car was seen on campus security cameras the night of the third girl’s disappearance. Bruce made some sort of mark next to his name that leads me to believe that he’s not very high on his suspect list.

Trevor Mills works as a barista at a Starbucks a couple of blocks from the GU campus. He has a prior for sexual assault that was later dismissed, his accuser dropping the charges for some unknown reason. He started working at this particular Starbucks about a month before the kidnappings started. 

Jamal Brady runs a prostitution ring several blocks from the Gotham University campus. He has not been seen for the last four months, his whereabouts unknown at this point. Bruce was questioning if Jamal was working on expanding his business or if he had left town for some unknown reason.

I thread my fingers through my hair, twisting the long strands as I stare at the list. I know that at least one of these guys is involved in this, but which one is it? These appeared to be the main ones that Bruce had been most focused on, names that still needed following up on.

I pause to rub my eyes that burn with fatigue, doing my best to ignore the fact that it’s now past one-thirty in the morning and I still have not heard from Bruce. I hold my head in my hands, my mind racing with dreadful thoughts that I cannot begin to contain.

I try to remind myself that this is Bruce and he knows what he is doing. He is the strongest of us all, the most intelligent and resourceful especially in times of crisis. If anyone can solve this case and come out of it relatively in one piece, it’s Bruce Wayne.

The beeping of an incoming message makes me look up sharply, my heart leaping into my throat. I quickly answer the call. “It’s about time,” I say, annoyance lining my voice. “Are you all right?”

“It’s Nightwing, Diana,” he responds. “Has Batman not checked in yet?”

My shoulders slump with a renewed wave of fear as I force my voice to work. “No, not yet,” I reply. “He should’ve checked in by now.”

“It’s okay,” he tries to reassure me. “It’s not unusual for him to miss a check-in or be late in calling. He probably just got tied up and couldn’t get away to check-in with you yet.”

“Yes…you’re probably right,” I hear myself utter, but my words hold no conviction in them. “Have you been able to find Kozak yet?”

“No, but we had a body turn up in an alley tonight,” he admits and I can tell by his tone that I’m not going to like what he’s about to tell me.

“Who is it?” I ask, my heart beginning to hammer in my chest.

“It’s Willow Stevens,” he reveals.

My fingers involuntarily curl into fists, my fingernails biting into my palms. Nausea begins to rise in my throat as I try to battle the dread churning in my stomach. “What happened to her?” I murmur so softly I’m not even sure I’ve even spoken the words until Dick answers me.

“It appears that she was strangled,” he informs me. I can tell he’s reluctant to say anymore than that, but I need to know.

“What else?”

“Diana…”

“Tell me,” I heatedly demand, my voice gaining strength once more.

“She was raped and beaten,” he grudgingly tells me. “They’re going to do an autopsy later today to find out the official cause of death, but there are ligature marks on her throat so strangulation is my best guess until we know more.”

There are several long moments of tense silence that settles between us, both of us caught up in our own thoughts right then. “Diana, try to get some sleep,” Dick suggests. “You won’t do anyone any good if you don’t get some sleep.”

“No, I’m coming to help you,” I insist. “I need to be there.”

“Diana…” he tries again.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I tell him before cutting the communication link before he can utter another word.

I leap to my feet, racing to the bathroom by the changing rooms. Willow’s unexpected death has hit me far harder than I anticipated, causing me to deposit what little bit of supper I had eaten. Sitting back on my heels, I draw a shaky breath, running my fingers back through my hair. My eyes fall closed as I let my head fall back. Despite how this case is affecting me, I need to help find these girls no matter what Bruce or anyone else says.

I know in my heart that the key to overcoming my own trauma is to help save these girls from living the horrifying nightmare that I share with them. Nine girls taken, one now confirmed dead. There are eight girls still out there in need of help, who need to be found and I’m not about to give up until they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, I have a confession. I really love the fact that both Bruce and Diana are broken in this fic, both haunted by their pasts and struggling to come to terms with it. They just need each other so badly!
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana moves some things into her quarters on the WT and in the present Nemesis helps Nightwing investigate Willow's death...and where is Bruce??
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Much love to my BMWW peeps! WE HANG TOGETHER NO MATTER WHAT!! :)


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**_Watchtower; November 15th, 14:13 EST_ **

_I blow a raven curl out of my line of sight as I walk through the halls of the brand new Watchtower, boxes firmly in hand. It’s not much, but it’s all that I had wanted to bring up to my new quarters. It’s not that I’m worried Bruce will crash the Watchtower again because I made him swear on his life that he would never do such a foolhardy, idiotic thing ever again. It’s just that I don’t have very many possessions to bring._

_I’m relieved that I finally carved some time out of my busy schedule to move some of my things into my new quarters. I don’t know how much I’m actually going to use this room, but it’ll be nice to have a place to escape to if I ever need it._

_I can’t imagine living any place else but the manor now. It’s become my home in so many ways over the last six plus months. I never thought after I was banished from my home that I’d find a place that I love almost as much as I love Themyscira, but Wayne Manor has come to mean so very much to me._

_Maybe it’s the rich history and antiques that are housed within its old walls. Maybe it’s the sprawling gardens and acres of forest that surround it. Maybe it’s the cliff that I find myself sitting on when I need to think, the waves crashing beneath me against the rocky shoreline my only company. Maybe it’s the people that I’ve come to care about that reside there._

_They’ve become like another family to me—Bruce, Alfred, Dick, Tim, and even Barbara. After Bruce destroyed the first Watchtower, I would’ve been completely lost with nowhere to go, but they took me in and I found love that I hadn’t even realized that I had wanted or needed from each and every one of them, but most importantly with Bruce._

_I would protect them all with my life. That’s why I did what I had to in order to ensure that their secret identities would remain just that—a secret. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat despite the struggles that I’m enduring now._

_It’s something that an Amazon does. It’s been ingrained in me since I took my first steps, uttered my first words. We defend, we protect, we fight, we save. We carry our physical wounds with honor and pride, never letting them stop us. The emotional wounds are buried deep beneath layers of honor and courage and valor._

_That is how I’ve been trying to handle the traumatic situation that I went through, burying it deep and carrying on with my chin held high. It’s what my mother taught me to do._

_“As Princess of the Amazons and next in line for the throne, you are duty and honor-bound to hold yourself to a higher standard than your sisters…you are to be an example of a perfect Amazon, fearless and determined. Never show frailty or weakness, but stand tall and proud in the face of adversity…”_

_My mother’s words ring in my ears even now as if she’d just uttered them yesterday, not hundreds of years ago. It’s something that I’ve heard so often in my lifetime from her and my sisters who trained me that it’s the only way that I know. I’m more than determined to make them proud through this traumatic experience and to not dishonor them any way._

_Drawing a deep breath, I can’t help the smile that touches my lips as I spot several new League members moving things into their quarters. Flash told me it would be like the first day of college with everyone moving in. I didn’t know what he meant by that, but I’m about to find out._

_I’m glad now that Bruce suggested that a couple of floors of the Watchtower be used solely for League quarters, one section for civilian crew quarters, and one floor exclusively for Founders. At first, I had been concerned about appearing as though we were unapproachable to the new members, but I finally agreed to it._

_I didn’t want to come across as better than the new League members or more important just because we are the original team that founded the Justice League, but as I enter the code for the secured Founders’ floor, I’m actually glad we did. It’ll give us a little bit more privacy, especially now that Bruce and I are dating._

_It’s not something that either of us is eager to publicize within the Justice League. Only the Founders who are privy to our secret identities know that we are dating and we’d like to keep it that way. No one needs to know that Batman and Wonder Woman are romantically involved._

_As I exit the elevator on the restricted Founders’ floor, a breeze unexpectedly makes my hair flutter. Flash speeds past me before disappearing around the corner, abruptly reappearing beside me once more. “Wondy!” he greets me a smile, one that is far more relaxed since I returned to my duties._

_He’s forgiven me for ditching him on our mission to go assist our teammates in Washington DC, understanding that I had needed to be there for Bruce. I’ll be more than happy when this temporary probation of Bruce’s is over and I can go on missions without a babysitter._

_The only reason I swallow my Amazonian pride and abide by it…for the most part…is because I feel I’ve caused Bruce more than enough worry and heartache to last at least a few years without adding to it. If this gives him a sense of reassurance, then I’ll tolerate it…for now._

_“Hey, Wally,” I reply, shifting boxes to my hip._

_“You’re finally moving in too?”_

_“I took the afternoon off work to get my things moved in,” I tell him. “I needed to get away from the office for a little while.”_

_I swear if I had to look at one more spreadsheet I was going to scream. While I love my new position at Wayne Enterprises in the charities department, it’s quite infuriating to see the extensive damage that Ariel had caused by her embezzlement of funds away from the people who need it. It also angers me how much her thievery has hurt and upset Bruce._

_“Well, it’s good to see you,” he says. “I haven’t gotten to go on anymore missions with you lately.”_

_“Yah, Batman and Superman seem to think they need to be my partner to make sure I’m ready to be out on my own,” I inform him with a frown, anger with the situation permeating my features I’m sure. “They’re treating me like I’m some child.”_

_He lays a sympathetic hand on my shoulder, his expression filled with compassion. “I’m sorry, Di,” he sympathizes with me. “It’s only because we all love you so much. We just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”_

_“I’m fine, Flash,” I reassure him. “Everyone worries too much about me.”_

_“You really scared the life out of all of us when you went missing,” he reveals with sudden sadness, inadvertently reminding me once again of the extent of the heartache that I had caused everyone. “Bats wouldn’t even let us help him look for you. He was hell-bent on finding you himself. The only reason Nightwing got to help was because he used to be Robin and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”_

_“I appreciate it, Wally, but I’m back now and good as new,” I tell him. “I just want to be able to do my job again.”_

_“Well, I’m sure that Bats and Supes will release you to full duty soon,” he tells me. “I gotta run get more of my stuff. Let’s do lunch soon.”_

_“See you later,” I reply, continuing on my way._

_Turning the corner, I almost run into John. “Hey, Diana,” he greets me. “Do you need any help?”_

_“No, I’m good,” I claim. “Are you all moved in already?”_

_“Just finished,” he informs me, a coy smile spreading across his face that is so incongruent with the hardened Marine I’ve come to know. “I’m going to go help Vixen get moved in.”_

_I smile with the unexpected revelation, noticing the way that his eyes brighten when he says her name. I couldn’t be happier for him that he’s finally able to move on. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate the help from a handsome Marine.”_

_“That’s what I’m hoping for,” he says with a grin as he leaves me alone in the hallway._

_I continue on to my quarters, the last door on the right. I softly shake my head in amusement as I pass by Bruce’s quarters before reaching mine. I can’t help remembering how he had told me that his quarters were right next door to mine. Even though he hadn’t verbally said it at the time, I could tell that he didn’t want anyone else to be next to me but him. It had warmed me clear through to my toes, filling me with hope that there truly was something far more than just simple attraction brewing between us._

_Entering my secret code, though I’m sure Bruce already knows what it is, the door slides open and I enter to find a dozen red roses waiting for me on the bedside table. I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face as I set my boxes down on my desk and walk over to them._

_My eyes fall closed as I lean over and inhale deeply. They smell spicy yet sweet, their deep rich red petals like the finest velvet. I pick up the card that is propped against the vase, opening it to find an invitation to dinner Friday night with Bruce._

_So taken by the sweet gesture, I don’t even realize that someone has entered my quarters until I hear his voice. “So you will be my date Friday night?”_

_My smile broadens as I slowly turn to face the man who has quite literally stolen my heart in every sense of the word. His cowl is pushed back and he’s holding a box in his hands, a lopsided smile on his face, but there is anxious anticipation residing in those blue orbs._

_“Maybe,” I coyly tease him as I set the card aside._

_His eyebrows rise in shock, his lips twitching between stunned amusement and a disappointed frown. “Maybe?” he repeats. “What do you mean maybe?”_

_“Well, I don’t rightly know,” I evasively reply. “What do I get out of this if I say yes to a date with you?”_

_He seems to pick up on my playfulness, his posture relaxing minutely as he studies me. “Besides a fabulous dinner and dancing with a handsome man you mean?”_

_“Yes,” I decide, folding my arms against my chest. “What else do I get?”_

_He pauses to set his own box down on the bed, the corner of his lips quirking into a mischievous smirk as he turns back to face me. “Well, what else did you have in mind, Miss Prince?” he huskily inquires as he closes the distance between us._

_I find myself already melting beneath his piercing blue gaze, my arms moving of their own accord as I lower them to my sides. “I’m no longer on probation?” I venture._

_Bruce seems to consider this for a moment and I can see the war being waged in his mind reflecting in his eyes. He draws a deep breath and I brace myself for the negative response I’m about to receive. “Fine,” he relents with a sigh. “You have three days to go anyway and you’ve done very well except for the incident in Washington.”_

_I feel my anger flare, my brow furrowing as I prepare myself for heated argument. “I did what I had to do to protect my teammates and ensure the safety of the city,” I maintain with a definite note of indignation._

_He takes my hand in his, his thumb caressing the back of it in an attempt to soothe my ire. “I know,” he softly relents. “Although you almost gave me a heart attack…I know. I just wish you wouldn’t be quite so impulsive sometimes. It scares me.”_

_A raven eyebrow quirks in response. “This coming from the very man who decided to use the Watchtower as a missile in a suicidal effort to stop the Thanagarian Invasion?”_

_He visibly cringes with the reminder and I almost laugh. It’s so incongruent with the forbidding uniform he wears. “You weren’t supposed to remember that.”_

_“Too bad,” I tell him, poking him squaring in the chest with my free hand. “You did it and now you have to live with me reminding you of your stupidity for the rest of your life.”_

_He winces with the sharp poke, taking my finger and bringing it to his lips to kiss the tip. “I guess I can live with that…as long as you’re always with me,” he tells me._

_I feel a rush of warm desire surge through my veins, realizing for the first time that this is exactly what I’ve wanted all along. Ever since I first met the Dark Knight of Gotham, I’ve been completely intrigued by him, mesmerized by his abilities and resolute dedication._

_What had started out as great respect and admiration had quickly evolved into a deep friendship, giving way to a blossoming love for this man that I only came to realize and accept since that kiss in the Indian restaurant during the invasion. I’m still not certain at times if this is something that should be pursued._

_There is something else that I have to talk to him about, something that is always holding a part of me back, but I have to gather the courage to tell him about it first. It’s something completely unrelated to my abduction, but he still needs to know._

_This relationship…this love for a man goes against absolutely everything that I’ve ever been taught or trained to believe, but I can’t deny what I feel for him. Nothing has ever felt so perfect or so right in my entire life and I can’t let him go._

_Before I realize it, I swiftly close the short distance between us, my lips finding his in a heated kiss that momentarily takes him by surprise as my emotions overwhelm me once more. It doesn’t take long, though, before he’s pulling me unbelievably closer, his lips parting to accept my heartfelt offering. I fully explore his mouth until the need to breathe becomes far too demanding for either of us to ignore._

_He pants softly, his forehead coming to rest against mine. “Where did you learn to kiss like that?” he asked. “No, wait…I don’t want to know.”_

_I can’t help the giggle that escapes as I brush my lips against his. “I would’ve thought the answer would’ve been obvious.”_

_He pulls back to look at me, his expression unreadable, but I’m pretty sure there’s a bright spark of jealousy in there somewhere. “I definitely don’t want to know,” he curtly decides with a scowl._

_“Who am I blessed by, Bruce?” I question him as I use my thumb to gently massage away the annoyed dip between his eyebrows, waiting for him to come to the answer himself._

_It only takes a few moments before his eyes brighten with understanding, his expression relaxing. “You haven’t shared this gift with anyone else, have you?”_

_“Well, maybe once,” I concede, averting my eyes, but a finger beneath my chin forces me to face him and his narrowed gaze silently orders me to tell him everything. “Steve Trevor.”_

_His face instantly darkens and this time I can definitely see the jealousy blazing there behind the intense blue irises, his jaw clenching tightly. “Right…Steve Trevor,” he grinds out the words as if he’s chewing on broken glass. “You met him in the past.”_

_“Yes, but we only kissed…nothing more,” I reassure him._

_“So you’ve never been with a man before,” he continues._

_I feel my cheeks grow warm as my stomach sinks into my boots. Nausea fills my throat as I think about what Callahan and MacCaffrey had done to me. He quickly realizes what he’s just said, the memories it has invoked in me plainly written on my face. He crushes me to him, holding me in a death grip._

_“I’m so sorry, Diana,” he murmurs into my hair. “I didn’t mean to—”_

_“No…it’s okay,” I reassure him, willing the contents of my stomach to stay where it’s at. “They didn’t rape me, Bruce.”_

_“I know…I know,” he whispers. “You were still assaulted…touched in ways that you never should’ve been.”_

_I can easily pick out the fury in his voice. I know that it’s taking everything inside of him to keep him from going to Blackgate Penitentiary and taking care of McCaffrey himself. I know he’s still furious about Callahan’s murder and the lack of closure it brings. He suspects Declan is behind it, but Bruce hasn’t been able to prove anything yet._

_I pull out of his embrace, keeping my expression reassuring as I take his face in my hands. “It’s all right, Bruce,” I firmly reassure him. “It’s done and over with. We just need to move on now.”_

_He draws a shaky breath before kissing me gently. “Here, I brought you something.”_

_“More than the roses?” I ask, surprised as he leads me to my bed._

_He hands me a box as we settle on to my bed and I open it to find something that I’d never expected to see again. “Bruce,” I whisper as I lift my ceremonial fighting dagger from the box. “I thought I’d lost it when the Watchtower was destroyed.”_

_“I went back later and dug through the remains until I found it,” he confesses. “I’ve been holding on to it until the new Watchtower was finished before I gave it back to you.”_

_Tears well in my eyes against my will as I throw my arms around him, burying my face in the crook of his neck. “Thank you, Bruce,” I murmur, swallowing back my tears. “You have no idea what this means to me.”_

_He wraps his arms around me, holding me close as he buries his face in my hair. “I knew it meant a lot to you and I felt so bad about destroying your things so I went back to find it for you,” he tells me._

_I feel my heart swell with more love than I thought was ever possible to feel for a man. I pull back enough to kiss him breathless, wishing I could show him just how much I love him, but I know he still wants to take things slow between us. I can’t help hoping that sometime soon I’ll be able to call him my lover too._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 9th, 02:48 EST_ **

I fly as fast as I can towards the coordinates that Dick gave me, staying high above the skyline in order to avoid detection. I can’t afford to have anyone spot Nemesis flying over Gotham and yet I need to get there soon. One of our missing students is dead and I want answers.

On top of that, I haven’t heard from Bruce at all tonight. It causes my heart to pound wildly with fear that I cannot begin to control. Something is very wrong. I can feel it deep in my bones. As soon as Dick and I finish our investigation into Willow Stevens, I’m going to start looking for Bruce whether he likes it or not.

Dick told me that it’s not unusual for Bruce to miss a check in, but I’m not taking the chance. I can’t bear the thought of him out there needing me and not being able to get to him. The thought makes me push myself that much harder to get to Dick. Hopefully, Bruce told Dick more than he told me about where he was going undercover or how to get in contact with him.

Landing on a rooftop, I fire my grappling gun, rappelling the rest of the way down. I quicken my step towards Nightwing and Commissioner Gordon, a body covered by a yellow tarp lying on the ground. Yellow police tape cordon off the area, keeping everyone out that didn’t belong there.

The soft, steady click of my heels on the asphalt causes both men to look up at me as I emerge from the shadows. It gives me a flicker of pride to know that I had managed to disguise my arrival so effectively. Bruce would be proud too if he was here and not out there in the city somewhere.

I force myself to shove thoughts of Bruce to the back of my mind in order to focus on the case. Jim Gordon stares at me, clearly startled by my unexpected appearance as I come to stand beside Nightwing. I see a slight smirk twitching on Dick’s lips and it strikes me as unusual. 

Working with Nightwing is different compared to working with Batman despite the fact that Dick had been trained by Bruce. While they both work with the same methodical skill and expertise, there is a bit of a lighter tone to Dick. A measure of his mischievous spirit manages to poke through at times and takes me by surprise. It’s definitely a stark contrast to Bruce’s hard edge and brooding tendencies.

“Um…hello,” Commissioner Gordon greets me somewhat awkwardly, offering me his hand to shake. “I’m Commissioner Jim Gordon.”

“Nemesis,” I reply with a small smile as I shake his hand.

“Nemesis is the newest member of the team,” Nightwing explains. “She’ll be helping out with cases from time to time.”

I don’t like the part about “time to time”, but I know that’s something that I need to take up with Bruce when he returns. This is definitely not the time or the place. Of course, I’m not even Wonder Woman with the Justice League so I’ll take what I can get right now until everyone stops looking at me as if I’m some victim on the verge of shattering into a million pieces.

“Well, we appreciate any help you can give with these missing girls,” Gordon says, pausing to light a cigarette. “Parents are beyond frantic, the city is in a panic, and the mayor is coming down hard demanding something be done before any more girls are taken. Now…this. It’s like dumping gasoline on a blazing inferno.”

“Don’t worry, Commissioner,” Nightwing sympathetically reassures him. “Batman is working day and night to get to the bottom of this.”

“We won’t stop until these monsters are behind bars,” I add.

Jim nods his head as he stares at the covered lifeless body lying on the ground at our feet. “I appreciate that,” he softly says. “I just can’t help thinking of my Barbara with all of this going on. I don’t know what I’d do if…anyway, I’ll let you two do your thing before the coroner shows up.”

I watch with great understanding as Jim walks away, pulling out his cell phone to make a call. He was so kind and compassionate to me when he came to see me in the hospital after Bruce had rescued me. It was evident in that meeting that he cares greatly for this city, but, even more than that, its citizens.

A hand on my shoulder pulls my attention back to the crime scene and my partner. “I think maybe you’re going to want to wait over there while I do this,” Nightwing suggests.

I straighten my shoulders, holding my head up with determination. “No, I need to do this,” I evenly state as I mentally brace myself for what I’m about to see.

“It’s definitely not pretty,” he warns me as he kneels beside the body, pausing to look up at me. “They roughed her up pretty good before they strangled her.”

“Thank you, but I’m fine,” I curtly state, my voice leaving no room for argument.

I am an Amazon warrior, honed and hardened by battle. I have seen many things in my life, more death and destruction than I care to think about since coming to Man’s World. Still, nothing could have prepared me for what I see when Nightwing lifts that tarp.

I find myself falling to my knees beside Nightwing as he begins to collect evidence. She was brutalized beyond anything that I’ve ever seen, proving to me what Bruce had told me once about Gotham being a whole other level of criminal depravity. This was wickedness in its purest form.

I swallow hard as I carefully reach out with trembling fingers to carefully stroke her blond hair matted with blood. I suppress the tears that I feel building in my throat, wondering who could possibly be so cold…so absolutely heartless to have done something so vile to this beautiful young woman who had so much of her life still ahead of her. No one deserved to be treated like this.

She had to have been positively terrified during those excruciating moments leading up to her death, enduring such incredible pain and violation…such humiliation and degradation. It causes fury like liquid fire to sear through my veins as I gently stroke her cheek, praying for safe delivery of her soul to Elysium.

It’s all I can do in that moment, showing her this one final act of respect and compassion that she didn’t receive in the last several weeks since her abduction and then her death. Time seems to screech to a deafening halt as I’m taken back to my own abduction. I feel a shudder roil through me, my stomach churning painfully and threatening to betray me.

_“By the time I’m done with you, you’re going to be telling me everything you know, my beor,” Callahan whispers against my ear, his tongue tracing the edge of it before he bites down hard and sucks on my earlobe._

I rub my arms in an effort to ward off the sensation of his hands on my body that refuses to leave me. It feels as though he’s right here in this alley with me, following me as close as my own shadow. It’s as if he’s watching my every move…dragging his tongue across his lower lip with that sadistic grin on his face that causes shivers to race through me against my will.

To have my gifts stripped from me had been unnerving enough without being forced to endure being assaulted and tortured for hours on end on a daily basis by that animal. It had rattled me far deeper than I had expected, more than I care to admit. He continues to even now…even with my powers back.

It’s humiliating…shameful. My sisters and mother would be mortified if they knew how I’m allowing this mortal man to have such a deep effect on me. I’m a warrior born and bred. There is nothing that I fear and yet I can’t seem to break free from this psychological hold this vicious animal still has on me.

I feel as though I can’t catch my breath as I stare down at the young woman before me, her blue eyes staring lifelessly back at me. My heart breaks for her and her family, knowing how she had suffered. It never should’ve ended this way for her. We should have found her in time, but we didn’t. We failed her.

My thoughts drift to Bruce and where he could possibly be at this moment. Is he safe? Does he know that we lost Willow Stevens? I can’t help hoping that he’s on his way home to me right now. I need to feel his strong arms around me, holding me close and sharing in our grief over this senseless loss of life.

The feel of a hand on my shoulder intrudes on my thoughts and forces me to face the reality of the situation we have to deal with now. I look up to find Nightwing staring down at me with concern on his face. He silently squeezes my shoulder as if knowing my thoughts and telling me that he understands.

“I have everything we need,” he softly tells me.

I slowly nod my head in understanding, forcing myself to my feet as he kneels down to readjust the tarp over her once more. He turns to me, his hand coming to rest on my forearm in an unspoken request for me to follow him. I readily turn to leave, glancing back over my shoulder one last time as the coroner arrives to take the body to the morgue for an autopsy.

A heavy silence settles between us as we finally take to the air, landing on a nearby rooftop where we can still watch the crime scene below us. It does little to settle me as I observe them lifting her on to a gurney, her left arm slipping free from the yellow tarp to dangle over the side. Even from here, the severe bruising and deep cuts around her wrist are clearly visible…so identical to my own that I had received.

It isn’t until I feel a hand firmly grasping hold of mine that I realize that I’m trembling uncontrollably. I look over at Dick to find him standing very close to me. “You don’t have to put yourself through this, Diana,” he tells me.

“Yes, I do,” I insist, lifting my chin in defiance. “I have to do this.”

“No, you don’t,” he firmly states, refusing to back down. “It’s clearly affecting you. It’s creating flashbacks and panic attacks.”

“I am an Amazon,” I bite out. “I can handle this.”

“You may be an Amazon, Diana, but you are still a woman…a person who went through a horrific ordeal,” he reminds me. “You have such a compassionate heart and feel things so deeply. It’s only natural that you would still be struggling with what you endured. It’s not something that anyone can reconcile in a few months even if you are an Amazon. You’re every far from the shores of Themyscira and paradise.”

The corner of my mouth twitches as I turn to face him. “How do you know how to talk to an Amazon without having your head removed from your shoulders?”

Dick gives me a smirk that exposes his boyish charm. It’s no wonder Donna has fallen so hard for him. “I’ve had to learn the hard way,” he teases with a definite glint in his blue eyes. “Believe me…I’ve had a lot of practice from dealing with your sister.”

I can’t help the laughter that unexpectedly slips past my lips. It feels good to laugh despite all the heartache that has surrounded me for so long now. “You better hope I don’t tell her you said that.”

He joins me in my amusement until I mention that. His expression suddenly turns almost frightened as he realizes his mistake. “Oh no…please don’t,” he pleads. “She’ll kill me…like literally.”

I chuckle softly, a smile on my lips. “I promise I’ll keep it just between us,” I swear to him. “I don’t want to create any trouble between you two love birds.”

He visibly relaxes with my promise, his expression growing serious once more. “Donna’s been worried sick about you these last six months,” he reveals. “She told me a little of what she can feel from you. She really wants to help you, but she doesn’t know how.”

I stiffen with the news, but I force my irritation aside. I know that Donna has been worried about me which was why I’d been trying to avoid her. She knows all too well how I’ve been struggling no matter how hard I try to conceal it from everyone.

“I know,” I softly confirm. “There’s nothing anyone can do, Dick. It’s something I have to come to terms with on my own.”

“You know it’s not breaking any Amazonian laws to seek help from those who care about you,” he bravely ventures. “I know…I checked with Donna.”

I bite at my bottom lip, my fingers curling into my palms. I slowly nod my head, trying to find answers that won’t come. As much I appreciate Dick’s attempt to help me, I don’t feel as though I can go down this road with him. Luckily, I don’t have to.

“Just think about, Diana,” he tells me. “Bruce is so in love with you. There’s absolutely nothing that he wouldn’t do for you.”

His earpiece beeps and I’m able to hear the incoming message that Oracle is sending him. “This is Nightwing,” he responds. “Go ahead, Oracle.”

“There’s been another kidnapping,” Oracle informs him and, because of my enhanced hearing, me as well.

“What’s the name?”

“Kelly Watkins,” she replies. “She was taken from her car in a parking lot at a Starbucks a couple of blocks from GU.”

“Don’t tell me,” Nightwing says with anger lacing his voice. “She’s also a student at GU.”

“You got it, bird boy,” Oracle confirms. “Blond hair…blue eyes.”

“Send the coordinates to me. We’ll go check it out,” Nightwing requests. “What’s Robin up to?”

“He just took down a petty thief on the west side,” she reveals.

“Tell him to contact me if he needs back up,” he tells her. “Nemesis and I are going to check out the crime scene on the missing student.”

“Roger that,” she agrees.

“Hey, any word from Batman yet?” he asks. “He was supposed to check in at midnight, but hadn’t yet when Nemesis left the cave.”

“No, not a peep from the head Bat,” she tells him. “I’ll route him to you if he calls.”

“Okay, thanks,” Nightwing says, cutting the communication before turning his attention to me. “You heard?”

“Yes,” I reply as I nod my head, my heart sinking into my boots with no word from Bruce.

“Let’s go,” he suggests. “We’ll check out the crime scene and then we’ll see if we can find out about Batman.”

“Okay,” I agree as I fire my grappling line to follow my partner, my mind consumed with thoughts of Bruce and what he is doing right now. I send up a silent prayer of protection, one that I hope that my goddesses will honor if not for me than for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, I really loved this update. I loved the past part and I love writing Nightwing and Nemesis in action. I like to think that Dick would do everything that he could to be there for Diana in Bruce's absence.
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana go on a romantic date, but how will it end? In the present, Nightwing and Nemesis investigate the crime scene of the newest kidnapping victim and make a big discovery. :)


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**_Gotham; November 18th, 19:57 EST_ **

_I smooth invisible wrinkles in the skirt of my dress, a sense of nervous anticipation flittering around in my stomach. I’m not sure where it’s coming from or why as I gaze out the window at the Gotham scenery that passes by. I release a subtle sigh, trying to calm my emotions, but they’re proving harder to control ever since Bruce found me._

_My fingers lightly graze over the small sequins of my steel gray dress, hoping that he likes the outfit that I chose to wear tonight for our date. I’ve never really been concerned about my looks or what people think of me, but, for some reason, it means everything to me when it comes to him._

_I find myself wondering what he thinks when he looks at me, curious about what he feels beneath that detached façade of his. Does he experience the same unexpected spark inside suddenly growing hotter and stronger when our eyes finally meet? Does he wonder what it would be like to make love with me…what it would be like to touch and to explore and to finally give in to the fierce desire that has been steadily growing between us?_

_I feel a shiver race up my spine with the thought of his hands and mouth against my skin as we finally give in to what we both have wanted for some time now. I can’t help wondering what it would be like to feel him inside of me as we share in the most intimate of dances, fully giving ourselves to one another._

_The feel of a hand unexpectedly covering mine stills my nervous movement. A warm flush swiftly drifts through me as he laces his fingers with mine in a protective hold. I feel self-conscious; worried that he has somehow managed to read my lustful thoughts. Even though he isn’t a Meta, Bruce has proven to surpass many of us when it comes to many notable skills and abilities._

_I glance down at our joined hands for a moment before looking over to meet his gaze full of concern. It makes me internally cringe to know that I’m causing him to worry about me again. I feel that’s all I do for him anymore, adding to the weight that he carries on his shoulders and in his heart._

_He gives me a smile that I can’t help but return. “What?” I awkwardly ask, pulling a stray curl behind my ear as I possessively pull our joined hands fully into my lap._

_“Talk to me, Princess,” he gently prods, squeezing my hand as he drives._

_“About what?”_

_“What are you thinking about?”_

_“Nothing,” I lie, my thumb caressing the back of his hand in an effort to distract him._

_He gives me a look that clearly states he believes otherwise before turning his attention back to the road. “You have something on your mind,” he counters, refusing to let it go. “Are you concerned about being out in public again? If you are, we don’t have to go out. We can go back to the manor and have Alfred make a nice dinner for us.”_

_“No, it’s not that,” I claim with a shake of my head, remembering all too well the unwanted attention I had garnered at the masquerade ball. That had been quite the eye-opening experience. I knew that people could be cruel and women catty, but that was beyond startling to bear witness to let alone be at the very center of._

_Tabloids have been running amuck with rumors about me. Yesterday, one claimed I was secretly pregnant with my rapist’s baby. The other day they claimed that Bruce Wayne had hired them to kidnap me and rape me. It has only served to arouse my anger and intensify the desire to go down there and destroy their printing presses._

_“Then what is it?” he presses, interrupting my thoughts. “Is it something with your job?”_

_I draw a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. My free hand begins to rub my arm as I struggle to find the words. I can’t stop the rush of memories that try to steal my happiness. I refuse to let them control me or try to dictate my life._

_“Diana, you know you can tell me anything,” he reminds me, squeezing my hand. “There is nothing that you could every say to me that could cause met to walk away from you.”_

_I look down at our joined hands again, wanting to believe him, but I still fear that he won’t be able to handle the details of what those monsters did to me. He won’t be able to look at me the same ever again. He’ll end up blaming himself and pulling away from me, shutting me out and pushing me away. That’s not something that I can handle._

_“I can’t help wondering what you think about when you look at me,” I softly confess._

_The car pulls to a stop in front of the restaurant, but he doesn’t get out of the car. Instead, he turns to face me, his fingers beneath my jaw forcing me to look at him. “I think you’re the most breathtaking woman I have ever seen,” he replies. “I constantly find myself wanting to kiss you…wondering what it will be like when I can finally make love to you.”_

_I melt into his hand against my face, his words causing my cheeks to grow warm. “You don’t have to wait you know,” I remind him._

_His lips are against mine before I can draw my next breath, so soft and yet filled with a sense of urgency. I can feel his desire right there beneath the surface being tightly restrained. I can hardly wait until he finally unleashes that pent-up hunger on me, giving me every part of himself and physically showing me what he feels for me._

_He pulls back to catch his breath. “Yes, I do,” he firmly maintains. “We’re taking this slow. I’m not going to push you into a physical relationship so soon after what you went through. It’s not fair to you.”_

_“You’re not pushing me, Bruce,” I claim, pausing to kiss him again in hopes of changing his mind. “I want this with you more than anything.”_

_“Diana, you’re still trying to deal with what happened to you,” he argues. “I’m not going to rush into this until I know for certain that you’re ready.”_

_I pull away in frustration, wishing that he would just believe that I’m ready for us to move forward. “Bruce…” I begin, more than prepared to argue._

_“I refuse to do anything to jeopardize this relationship with you, Diana,” he adamantly states. “As badly as I want to make love to you, I won’t take advantage of you when you’re still trying to come to terms with everything.”_

_“I’m fine,” I swear. “Why won’t anyone believe me?”_

_His hand moves to cover mine, not realizing that I’m rubbing my arms again. I don’t know why I do it…only that I can’t seem to stop myself sometimes, going so far as to scratch and claw my skin raw in my sleep. Thankfully, the matching shawl I chose to wear with my dress tonight hides the scratch marks on my arms. I know it will only make Bruce worry even more if he sees them._

_“Because I can see that you’re not…even though you refuse to see it or admit it,” he tells me._

_I glance out my passenger door window, wrapping my arms tightly around myself. I draw a shuddering breath as Bruce exits the car, coming around to open my car door for me. He opens it, offering his hand to me. I reluctantly take it, not wanting to ruin this date with him._

_Bruce takes me into his arms, his lips so gentle against mine. “You need to be patient with yourself,” he murmurs. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait for you for as long as it takes.”_

_I force a small smile as I nod my head in response. He hands his keys to the parking attendant before leading me into the restaurant. The maître d’ greets us with a smile, Bruce holding my hand as we follow him to our table. I ignore all the eyes that I feel on us as we walk through the restaurant. I’m not about to let anything ruin my evening._

_Bruce sits down next to me at the intimate table for two, his masculine scent assaulting me all over again. It’s difficult to take my eyes off him. He looks positively dashing in his black suit and charcoal gray dress shirt with matching tie._

_He seems to know what I’m thinking as he flashes me a devilish smirk. “Penny for your thoughts,” he teases._

_“You don’t want to know if you don’t want our relationship to progress past kissing right now,” I challenge him as I reach for my glass of ice water._

_He leans in close to me, his breath warm against my ear. “What I want and what I know I have to do are two very different things,” he tells me with a husky tone that causes gooseflesh to ripple up my arms. “It’s not as easy as you think it is for me to tell you no right now.”_

_I swallow hard, knowing that we need to change the subject for both our sakes. If I was honest with myself, I’m not sure that I’m truly ready for that next step with him yet. As much as it pains me to acknowledge it, Bruce is right once again, though I’m not about to admit it to him. At the same time, I can’t help but want to feel something wonderful and passionate and exciting instead of all this anger and pain that I carry deep inside of me. Besides, it’s not fair to Bruce to make him wait._

_“How was your meeting today?” I ask as I peruse the menu._

_Our waitress arrives to take our order before he can respond, waiting until she leaves to answer me. “I think it went well,” he reveals. “I believe it’ll turn out to be quite profitable for the company if we can strike a deal.”_

_“I’m sure you’ll be able to make the deal,” I reassure him. “If anyone can make it happen, it’s you, Bruce. You’re brilliant at what you do.”_

_His eyes seem to shine with my assurance, a crooked smile forming on his handsome face. It stuns me to think that someone so confident and strong…always in control and in charge of every situation…would actually take comfort in my support. It’s an unexpected facet of his personality that I find endearing, arousing my curiosity about the other things that Bruce keeps so well-hidden inside of him._

_“Have you been able to uncover any more missing money?”_

_“I’m afraid so,” I reluctantly inform him, knowing how it’ll only upset him. “I found another one point four million.”_

_He slowly shakes his head as he releases a frustrated breath. I can see the anger simmering just beneath the surface, evident in the way that his muscles grow tense with the information. “I have a very bad feeling you’re going to find even more money missing in the coming weeks.”_

_“We’ll get it back…I promise,” I attempt to assure him, my hand coming to rest on his knee beneath the table. “I won’t give up until I’ve found every bit of it.”_

_His hand finds mine, clutching it firmly and keeping it on his thigh. “I should’ve known something was going on…should’ve paid more attention to the charities department.”_

_“There was no way you could have known, Bruce,” I insist. “You had checks and balances in place to make sure something like this didn’t happen, but Ariel managed to find a way around every single one of them.”_

_“I still can’t help feeling as though it’s my fault,” he tells me. “It’s my company, Diana. I should have known what was going on right under my nose.”_

_“She was very intelligent,” I reply. “She covered and recovered her tracks. It’s only because I now know what I’m looking for that I’ve been able to figure out her system.”_

_“I don’t know what I would do without you working on this for me,” he says, his gratitude unmistakable. “You’re one of the few people that I truly trust. I know that you’ll do everything you can to straighten this nightmare out.”_

_I feel my heart swell with his words of confidence. I know how very hard it is for him to fully trust someone and I’m extremely touched that I’m counted among those very few. “I won’t give up,” I promise him. “Aside being furious with Ariel, I really enjoy my new job. I love knowing that I’m helping others.”_

_“I’m happy to hear that,” he confesses. “I love having you there working with me. I can only imagine how the gossip mill is exploding now that we’ve finally come out as a couple.”_

_I can’t hide the warmth that I feel on my cheeks as our waitress brings us our dinner. I wait until she leaves before I reply. “You have no idea,” I reply with a grin. “I’m afraid you’ve broken quite a few hearts around the office knowing that you’re no longer on the market.”_

_Bruce frowns with the news as he takes a bite of his pasta. “I was never really on the market,” he grumbles. “I’m so happy that I don’t have to date any more of those brainless models and actresses. I can actually date the woman that I want to be with.”_

_“I’m relieved too,” I admit. “It was horrible seeing you with all of those women.”_

_“Jealous?” he asks with a grin._

_“A little,” I say with a small shrug of my shoulder, not wanting to admit to anything as petty as jealousy._

_“Diana, they didn’t mean anything to me,” he insists. “Many of them were just for show. Besides, I’m sure you’ve broken more than your fair share of hearts at the office. I’ve seen the way many of the men at work look at you.”_

_“There’s only one man there that truly matters to me.”_

_Before he gets the chance to respond, a well-dressed, middle-aged man approaches our table. “Hello, Bruce,” he greets him, glancing at me with sudden interest as his gaze lingers longer than is considered necessary._

_“Hello, Martin,” he replies with his infamous smile. “I didn’t know you were here tonight.”_

_“Just finishing up a business dinner,” he informs us. “Who is this lovely lady?”_

_“This is Diana Prince,” he introduces me as I extend my hand to the man._

_Martin takes my hand, kissing the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I respond._

_“I’ve got to hand it to you, Bruce,” he says, staring at me with a lecherous smile. “You sure know how to pick them.”_

_“Well, just don’t get any ideas,” Bruce tells him. “I’m not planning on letting this one get away.”_

_The way Martin is grinning at me makes my skin crawl. I find myself wanting to punch him in the face, but I feel Bruce tighten his hold on my hand beneath the table. It’s a silent plea to trust him and to ignore this so-called friend of his._

_Martin’s smile unexpectedly fades away as he suddenly remembers something. “Hey, do you remember Ted Peters from LexCorp?” he asks._

_“Yes, what about him?” Bruce responds, his brow furrowing with curiosity._

_“I heard a couple of the waiters talking when I went to use the washroom just now,” he replies. “His daughter Lydia is missing. She’s a student at Gotham University.”_

_I can feel Bruce’s entire body grow rigid. I know how he’s feeling because I feel it too. “When did this happen?” Bruce asks._

_“Just tonight,” Martin confirms, a grim expression gracing his face. “Terrible to hear…all these girls being taken. She makes the fourth girl kidnapped so far. Don’t know what’s going on, but, if I had a daughter at GU, I’d go there right now and physically drag her home if I had to.”_

_“Poor Ted,” Bruce absentmindedly says with a shake of his head. “I can’t begin to imagine what he’s going through right now.”_

_“Yah, well, I need to get back to my dinner meeting, but it was good to see you, Bruce, and it was a definite pleasure meeting you, Diana,” he tells us before leaving us alone._

_“I definitely do not like him,” I grouse under my breath._

_“Not many do,” he admits with a frown, his mind already shifting to the details of this case._

_I place my hand on his forearm, pulling him back to me and this restaurant. I can already see the Bat lingering behind his eyes, more than desperate to make an appearance. “Bruce, we can leave if you want to,” I offer. “We don’t have to stay here.”_

_“I’m sorry, Diana,” he replies with a sigh, guilt filling his face. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”_

_“It’s all right,” I softly assure him. “I want to help you find these girls before anymore are taken.”_

_“Let’s have them box up our dinners,” he suggests. “We can eat it at home. I’m sorry it’s not very romantic.”_

_He signals for our waitress, putting on a playboy grin for her. It’s obvious to me that he’s trying to cover for the real reason we need to leave by insinuating that we want to be alone right now. For some reason, it doesn’t bother me, seeing him display the façade that he’s so well known for. I know his heart and how good it is…his true intentions and how noble there are. It makes me love him even more._

_Besides, I’m too consumed with fear for Lydia and these other girls that have been taken. I can’t allow myself to think about what they’re going through at this moment. If I do, I fear I’ll plunge headlong down the dark abyss that I feel has erupted inside of me and that I’ll never find my way back out._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 9th, 03:51 EST_ **

Sirens are flashing red and blue, but make no sound as I arrive on the scene, Nightwing arriving a few seconds after me. I swallow back my emotions, locking them away in order to focus on what is happening here and now. I try my best not to think about Bruce, but the worry is always right there beneath my skin, much stronger now knowing that he has yet to check in.

A car pulls up next to one of the GCPD cars, Commissioner Gordon exiting. He doesn’t appear to be the least bit surprised to find that we arrived here before him. He quickly begins giving instructions as officers tape off the area, directing them to allow Nightwing and me to check it out first.

The police officers don’t seem to mind that we’re invading their territory and basically taking over the crime scene. They’re probably used to it after all these years of working with Batman and Robin. It warms my heart to see the utmost respect that Gordon shows Batman and his clan, his faith in them unmistakable and without question.

I follow Nightwing to the car that Kelly was taken from, glancing at the Starbucks employees who stand just outside of the coffee shop speaking to police officers who are taking statements. I notice the security camera located at the corner of the building, hoping that we’ll be able to pull something off of it. Knowing Oracle, she’s probably already tapping into the camera to retrieve anything that might help us track down these vile people.

Every time I think that I’ve seen the worst that man can possibly conceive in their hearts, I find myself constantly proven wrong.

I watch as Nightwing crouches down at the driver’s side of the car. The door is already open, leading me to believe that she was taken as she was getting in. On the ground is her drink lying on its side, coffee pooled all around it. 

Her car looks like what you would expect from a college student. There is a backpack lying on the backseat, a notebook on the floor in the rear of the car. A couple of fast food wrappers and empty Starbucks cups are in the passenger seat, her cell phone lying in the middle console along with a pack of gum and a nail file.

My anger is growing hotter by the second, wondering who could be so evil to do this to these women. I feel my fingers instinctively curling into my palms, my desperation to get my hands on these men building. These young women have so much of their lives ahead of them, their futures so bright only to be cut short by someone who feels that they are expendable.

Nightwing pulls out a couple of bags, collecting evidence that I fear will do absolutely nothing to help us. It’s the way that it’s been from the very beginning. There’s nothing left behind that’s given us anything to go on, nothing that could provide a possible clue as to who is behind all of this.

There has to be a mastermind running the show, Michael Kozak a minor player in their twisted game. I can’t help but wonder if Bruce has run into Michael during his time undercover. Has he been in contact with the one behind whatever sick scheme they’re running?

I don’t let myself dwell on Bruce for long, knowing that I can’t help him if I allow my thoughts to be consumed with him. I slowly make my way around the car, carefully searching for anything that might have been left behind by the kidnappers.

I find myself sending up another prayer to my deities. It’s more out of habit now than actual faith that they will hear me. They have all but turned their backs on me for the last six months, my prayers and petitions going unanswered. I’ve actually considered going to Mount Olympus, breaking down their gates and demanding answers, but even I can’t bring myself to do that…at least not yet.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?”

I look up to find a police officer standing there, a kind smile on his young face. “No, thank you,” I reply with a small smile.

“I’m Officer Charlie Sullivan,” he replies. “Let me know if you need anything, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” I say with a nod. “I will.”

Making my way around to the front of the car, I turn my attention to the surrounding vicinity, noticing the small wooded area to the immediate left of the parking lot near where Kelly parked her car. My brow furrows as I walk towards it, noticing the way a couple of the branches are broken as if someone has recently been through there.

I come to a stop at the edge of the trees, crouching down to inspect the area closer. I meticulously examine the broken tree branches, noticing the small scrap of material caught on one of the thorny branches. I carefully remove the piece of light pink fabric, knowing it had to have come from Kelly’s shirt. It’s a clue, but it doesn’t point us to who is behind this. 

“What did you find?”

“A piece of material,” I reply, looking to Nightwing crouching to my right. I hand the piece of fabric to him to examine in detail later. “I have a feeling it came from Kelly’s shirt.”

“Good find,” he praises me as he puts it into an evidence bag.

“There are a couple of foot prints here in the dirt as well,” I point out. “Hopefully, one of them belongs to our perpetrator.”

Nightwing begins to take pictures of the tread marks left behind before motioning for one of the police officers to make a cast impression of the shoe print. As they work on that, I begin to inch my way through the thick clump of trees and brush. With any luck, I’ll find something more we can use to bring these monsters down.

I brush branches out of my way, ducking to avoid a low-lying tree limb. From some of the trampled brush I find, it’s clear that Kelly put up quite a fight, probably more so than the kidnappers had originally thought she would. From what I remember of Bruce’s meticulously kept files, there was no sign of a struggle at any of the other crime scenes.

That means we either have a copycat kidnapper or something went awry with this abduction. I hope that Kelly was able to fight long enough and hard enough to get us the evidence that we so desperately need right now to save her before it’s too late.

I feel the thorns from the bushes tugging at my clothes and scraping at my skin beneath. I try to ignore the way it brings up memories that are months old and yet still feels so fresh in my mind as if it had all happened just yesterday. My hands curl into fists as I try to fight them back down into the farthest reaches of my brain. This is not the time or the place for a panic-inducing flashback.

I pause to draw a couple of deep breaths, my eyes scanning over the ground. It’s so dark and dense among the trees that it’s next to impossible to see anything. There’s a very faint glow at the edge of the tree line created by the numerous police cars in the parking lot, but it’s not nearly enough.

A light seems to come out of nowhere, flooding my path and illuminating the area. I find Nightwing pushing his way through the bramble and bushes as well, attempting to follow me. “Shine your flashlight this way,” I instruct him.

He quickly complies, his light shining on the indicated area. “What did you see?”

“I’m not sure,” I murmur as I make my way to a large rock, kneeling in the leaves and dirt.

Nightwing kneels beside me, curious as to what I might have discovered. “What is that?” he asks as he pulls out his tweezers.

“A brass button,” I murmur, moving aside to allow him to pick it up with his tweezers.

“With any luck, this just might belong to our perp,” he says, hope lacing his voice.

“With our luck, it probably belongs to Kelly,” I grumble, feeling disheartened despite the fact that we’d actually found a clue this time. Sometimes it felt like such an uphill battle when it came to fighting crime in Gotham.

“Don’t give up yet,” he encourages me. “Just when you think that you’re never going to get anywhere with a case, the unexpected happens.”

“I just wish I knew where Batman was,” I softly reply.

“Don’t worry,” he reassures me. “He’s really good at taking care of himself.”

I turn and give him an incredulous look. “He’s also really good at getting himself into trouble.”

“When we get back to the cave, I’ll see what we can do about finding out where he’s at.”

We continue to search the wooded area in silence for what feels like an eternity, but we aren’t able to find anything more. They were as efficient this time as they had been every other time. We finally exit the woods, my gaze falling on the employees who are still talking to the police.

I recognize one of the employees standing outside of the coffee shop. He’s one of the suspects that Bruce had put into his file to investigate. My hand immediately reaches out to latch onto Nightwing’s arm, forcing him to a stop before he can move away from me.

He looks down at my hand clutching his arm before looking up at me. “What’s wrong?” he asks with a frown. “Are you okay?”

“That man over there,” I respond with a nod towards the guy standing off to our left.

“What about him?”

“That’s Trevor Mills,” I reveal. “He’s one of the names that Batman had listed as a possible suspect.” 

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive,” I maintain. “I’ve been studying that list of names and pictures every night for weeks now. I’d know him anywhere.”

“That’s a little bit of a coincidence that can’t be ignored,” he agrees. “Let’s go talk to him and see what we can find out.”

I stalk towards Trevor Mills, forcing Nightwing to catch up to me. “Trevor Mills,” I call his name as I approach him.

Trevor looks up in shock, clearly surprised that I know his name. His gaze travels over me as if trying to process what he is seeing, his eyes narrowing. The police officer knowingly steps aside, allowing Nightwing and me a chance to talk to the employee. 

“What do you want?” Trevor gruffly asks with obvious indifference as he pulls out a cigarette and lights it.

“Do you know who took Kelly?” I question him. I feel Nightwing’s hand coming to rest against the small of my back, but I ignore his attempt to quell my fury. I wish I had my lasso in order to get the information that we so desperately need to find these girls.

His expression morphs from one of cocky arrogance to outright resentment. “How would I know?” he snaps at us. “I don’t even know her.”

I close the distance between us, hoping to intimidate him into answering me. “So you’re trying to tell me that tonight was the first night that Kelly has come into this Starbucks?” I press, refusing to back down. I know that he knows more than he’s telling us. I can feel it in my bones.

“No,” he scoffs. “She comes in here all the time, but that doesn’t mean I know her.”

“You never really noticed her…didn’t think that she was pretty or thought about asking her out on a date?” I continue, my anger growing hotter.

A smug grin breaks across his face as he stares me down. “I have a girlfriend, lady,” he replies. “Why would I look at another girl?”

A derisive snort of laughter escapes my throat, my hands balling into fists. “You’re in your twenties, Trevor,” I remind him. “Your eyes have never wandered…never lingered a little longer than they should have on another girl?”

“Never,” he states, glaring directly at me.

I can feel the fury within bubbling up to the surface, wanting to find release. Nightwing seems to realize this as he steps in, moving to stand right beside me. “Look, Trevor,” Nightwing interjects. “We don’t care if you were cheating on your girlfriend or not. We only want to know if you knew Kelly outside of the coffee shop.”

He pauses to smoke his cigarette for a long moment, likely trying to decide just how much he wants to reveal to us. I can feel my impatience building with every passing second. “Maybe I asked for her number once,” he reluctantly reveals. “She said she had a boyfriend and that was that. I never asked again and we never spoke more than ‘what can I get for you’ and ‘you’re welcome’.”

Nightwing appraises him as if trying to decide if he believes him or not. “Thank you for your time,” he finally tells him, his hand finding my forearm before turning and pulling me away with him.

“Why are we letting him go?” I demand to know. “He knows far more than what he is telling us.”

“I know, but we have absolutely nothing to hold him on,” he replies. “We’ll get Oracle to dig further into his background to see what she can find. In the meantime, we’ll have to follow him to see if he leads us to whoever is behind all of this.”

I release a frustrated breath, my jaw clenching. “I don’t like this,” I bite out.

“I know…me either, but we have no choice right now,” he agrees. “Let’s get this evidence back to the cave and see if we can’t figure out where Batman is.”

“Fine,” I grudgingly relent, reaching for my grappling gun.

Deep down, I know that he is right, but it does nothing to lessen the violent storm of emotions that are still swirling inside of me. The memories from my own abduction roar to the surface of my mind. I had been unable to fully fight for myself when I’d been taken, but I know I can fight for these girls now and I will no matter what it takes or what lengths I have to go to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Whoa. Things are getting really interesting. I have to say that things will only get more intriguing from here on out.
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana spends Thanksgiving with Bruce and his family. In the present, Diana finally breaks down from the weight of everything, but who will be there for her when she needs Bruce the most?


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

_**Wayne Manor; November 24th, 11:53 EST** _

_Positioning the hands on the grandfather clock, I watch as the secret passageway opens for me, bidding me entrance into the Batman’s dark domain. I begin navigating the steep steps that will take me to him. I know that he had returned from patrol this morning, but beyond that I haven’t seen him yet today._

_I approach as silently as possible, determined to sneak up on him one of these times. This will definitely not be one of those times, however. “Princess,” he greets me with that rasping grate._

_I sigh my irritation, but quickly push it aside. He’s still dressed in his uniform sans cowl and gauntlets despite having returned hours ago. His jet black hair is mussed from his cowl, his blue eyes hard with razor-sharp focus. I pray that he’s found something that will lead us to these missing girls._

_I come to a stop beside him, my hand settling lightly on his shoulder. “What’s going on?” I ask. “You’re still in your uniform.”_

_He glances down at his attire as if he’d completely forgotten, looking up at me with tired eyes. “I guess I lost track of time.”_

_“What are you working on?”_

_“Nothing important,” he mutters as he quickly closes a couple of files before I can read them. “Just tying up some loose ends.”_

_I fold my arms across my chest as I turn and lean against the edge of his desk so I can look at him. “Bruce, stop trying to shield me from everything,” I sternly tell him. “I’m a big girl. I can handle whatever it is.”_

_He sits back in his chair, glancing at me with a note of irritation. “Fine,” he says. “I was working on the Declan MacCaffrey case.”_

_I frown with the mention of that animal’s name, but manage to keep the anger at bay. Just barely. “What about him? He’s in jail and he’s not getting out.”_

_“I know, but I want to make sure he stays there,” Bruce states. “I’m gathering as much evidence as possible to make sure there’s no way he’ll ever get out. When he goes to trial, I want to make certain there’s no chance of him being set free.”_

_I study his face for a moment, sensing there’s still something more going on that he’s not telling me. “What else is there?”_

_He looks up at me, affection replacing the fatigue in his eyes. “You’re too smart for your own good,” he grumbles. “I’m also investigating him to make sure that he’s not somehow connected in any way to these missing girls.”_

_“How could he be? He’s been in jail for months.”_

_“I know, but he’s the head of the Irish Mafia,” he replies. “There has to be a second in command, someone waiting in the wings to take over. This would be just the kind of thing that the Irish Mafia could be behind.”_

_I try my best to suppress the shiver of dread that races through me, but I know that Bruce notices it. I wrap my arms around myself as I think about the implications. “What do you think they could be doing with these girls?”_

_My voice comes out sounding far more haunting and anxious than I intended. I internally wince. I despise sounding weak or broken. What’s worse is that Bruce picks up on it. He reaches out, pulling my hand free from the death grip I have on myself to hold._

_“There’s no sense speculating until we know more…until I have more evidence to go on,” he tells me._

_He’s trying to protect me again and I hate it. I angrily pull my hand free before turning my back to him, walking a few paces away.”Just tell me, Bruce,” I snap._

_I hear the heavy exhale of breath, the soft creak of the chair as he stands to his feet. I can feel him move to stand behind me, but he doesn’t touch me. “They’re likely being sold as wives overseas or it’s some sort of sex slavery ring,” he finally shares his thoughts with me._

_It’s worse than I could’ve dreamed. My eyes fall closed as fear for these missing girls consumes me. I cross my arms, my fingernails digging through my sweater and finding purchase in my flesh. These monsters can’t be allowed to do this to them. We have to hunt them down and make them pay._

_The feel of his hands coming to rest on my shoulders draw me back from that dark precipice I find myself teetering on all too often lately. I look up to find him right in front of me, worry swimming in his eyes. “Don’t, Diana,” he gently yet firmly states, his voice broking no room for argument._

_He doesn’t say anymore. He doesn’t have to. He knows where I’m at because he’s been there himself more times throughout his life than we really know. He pulls me into his arms and holds me for several long minutes and I know he’s struggling with all of this just as much as I am though I try my hardest to make everyone believe that I’m not._

_Bruce starts to shake gently and I fear he’s crying. I instantly pull back to look at him to find him laughing. “What?” I ask._

_“You smell like pumpkin pie,” he replies. “It just took me by surprise.”_

_“Alfred was teaching me how to bake this morning,” I tell him._

_“That explains it,” he decides, the mood unexpectedly lighter than it just had been._

_“Which reminds me,” I reply. “Thanksgiving dinner is almost ready. You better get cleaned up. Alfred said he went all out this year just for you.”_

_Bruce snorts in disagreement as he releases his hold on me. “No, he went all out this year for you, Princess, not me.”_

_“For me? Why me?”_

_“Because you’ve never experienced a traditional Thanksgiving before.”_

_“He didn’t have to go to all that trouble for me,” I say with a frown. “Don’t you do this every year?”_

_I watch as Bruce’s face grows solemn and it’s like a stab to my heart. “We haven’t had a traditional Thanksgiving here since I was boy.”_

_He averts his gaze, refusing to accept any pity, but that is not what I feel at this moment. It is only love for this man who has been forced to endure so much more than anyone should ever have to bear. Without a second thought, I lean in and kiss him, pouring that love into the connection that we now share._

_It’s only a moment before Bruce responds, his hands coming to rest on either side of my face as he tilts his head. We are soon forced apart by the need to breathe that becomes too hard to ignore. I press my forehead against his as we both fight to catch our breaths._

_“I think it’s time we made some new memories for you this Thanksgiving,” I softly tell him._

_He kisses me once more before speaking, his hands firmly gripping my hips. “I think that I’d like that,” he murmurs._

_“Then you better hurry up and get ready,” I remind him as I reluctantly pull out of his hold on me._

_He looks like he’s not quite ready to let me go either, but he begins to unfasten the top of his uniform nonetheless. “Is Dick here yet?”_

_“Yes, he’s upstairs playing video games with Tim,” I inform him as I turn to leave. “Tim has the whole afternoon and evening planned out so be prepared.”_

_Bruce groans and I can’t help but smile. “Planned how?”_

_“You’ll have to come upstairs to find out,” I tease as I float towards the stairs._

_I hear a growl as he stalks towards the showers. He has managed to temporarily ease the turbulent waves of fury inside of me. I just hope that it lasts for the rest of the day because just the thought alone that Declan could be involved in all of this somehow makes me want to fly straight to Blackgate and pummel him into dust._

_Entering the manor, I draw a calming breath. I refuse to ruin this day for Bruce or the others. Tim is so excited about it that he’s been practically bouncing all over the manor. I’m not sure how past Thanksgivings have been spent here, but it’s obviously not been like it will be today._

_The smells wafting from the kitchen make even my unpredictable stomach growl in response. “Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask._

_“Absolutely not, Miss Diana,” Alfred states with a dignified sniff. “Everything is already set. I’ve sent the boys to wash up. We’re just waiting on Master Bruce.”_

_“He’s coming,” I reassure him._

_“Well, then, let’s head to the dining room,” he suggests._

_Entering the dining room, I find it lavishly decorated. Alfred has indeed gone all out for the special occasion. “Everything looks beautiful,” I tell him, my fingers lightly trailing over the delicate lace tablecloth._

_“Let’s eat!” Tim excitedly exclaims as he and Dick enter. “I’m starving.”_

_“Dude, you’re always starving,” Dick teases him as they take their usual seats beside each other on the other side of the table._

_Bruce enters as I sit down near the head of the table across from Dick, his hand brushing against my shoulder as he passes. “Alfred, you’re eating with us and I won’t take no for an answer,” he firmly states._

_“Master Bruce,” Alfred begins to protest in abject horror with the notion._

_I reach out and take his hand, gently pulling him to sit down next to me across from Tim. “Please, Alfred…for me.”_

_The elderly man looks down at me and I see his resolve crumble into dust. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt just this once.”_

_To say that meal is anything short of fabulous would be an insult to the chef. I eat until I can’t eat anymore which clearly isn’t enough in Bruce’s eyes. He attempts to pile more food on my plate as does Alfred. Those two are like mother hens around me._

_The dining room is filled with laughter and an endless stream of stories, mostly about Bruce who can’t help but laugh as well. I know this is difficult for him, but it means the world to me that he is making an effort all for me. It makes me want to kiss him again._

_“Do they have anything like Thanksgiving on your island?” Tim asks._

_“Actually we do,” I confirm with a nod. “It’s called the Feast of Demeter. We eat and drink…be thankful for the bounty that we have been blessed with.”_

_“Sounds like fun, but I bet you didn’t have a checker’s tournament there,” Tim replies with a definite gleam of excitement in his eyes._

_“I’ve never played checkers before,” I confess._

_“I’ll teach you,” Tim excitedly volunteers._

_“I’ll teach her,” Bruce readily decides, his voice broking no room for argument._

_“All right, all of you scoot along to the entertainment room now,” Alfred says. “I’ll bring Miss Diana’s pie for dessert.”_

_I can’t help but groan, worried that it didn’t turn out very well. Bruce stands to his feet and offers me his hand. “Come on, Princess,” he says. “I’m sure it’s delicious.”_

_“Yah, anything compared to what Bruce makes has to be good,” Dick interjects with a smirk as he races out of the dining room with Tim on his heels._

_“Does Dick not remember how I nearly burned your kitchen to the ground?” I ask Bruce as we walk hand in hand down the hall._

_“He won’t bring it up,” he reassures me. “Dick likes you.”_

_“I’m glad for that, but I’m more interested in what his father thinks of me,” I flirt as he pulls me to a stop outside of the entertainment room._

_“His father thinks that you’re pretty amazing and hopes that you’ll stick around for a very long time,” Bruce softly replies, his lips claiming mine in a sensual kiss._

_He kisses me slowly…deeply. It begins to make my head spin as his hands fall to my hips and pulls me against him. Unfortunately, before things can get too carried away, we are interrupted by Alfred appearing with dessert in hand._

_“Dessert is served,” he announces._

_“Thank you, Alfred,” Bruce grudgingly says as he releases his hold on me._

_We enter the entertainment room to find Dick and Tim already engaged in an intense game of checkers. Bruce leads me to the couch, his arm quickly wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me to lean against him. I go willingly, readily deciding this is my favorite place to be…right here in his arms._

_A football game is already playing on the large flat screen television as Alfred serves the pie. I know a little about the sport, but not enough to carry on a decent conversation. Bruce seems to already know this as he begins explaining the various positions and the plays. To my relief, the pie is actually edible…good even. Bruce has two pieces which makes me unbelievably happy._

_Before long, I find myself being drawn into the game, thoroughly enjoying the physicality of the sport. It is truly a warrior’s game. I begin to cheer for the team in blue and white from Dallas, growing more excited with every play. I hear Bruce chuckling from beside me, forcing my attention away from the game to the man beside me. He’s staring at me with amusement and something akin to adoration in his eyes and it makes me melt on the inside._

_“What?” I ask as Tim cheers in excitement after beating Alfred in checkers._

_“You,” he replies. “You’re just so endearing.”_

_I smile softly in response, Tim announcing that it’s my turn to take him on in his tournament of checkers. “I’m afraid I won’t be much of a challenge, Tim,” I warn him._

_Bruce gets up with me and follows me to the checker board, settling in a chair beside me. He does a quick run through on the rules of the game before we start; staying there in case I need help. Tim grins deviously as I move my checker, his eyes practically glowing with excitement. It makes me feel good to know that we could give him this family time that he so obviously needs._

_We gaze at each other across the checker board, each trying to read the other’s mind in this heated game of skill. I place my finger on a checker; my gaze flickering up to Tim’s to see his expression. He reveals nothing, a poker face at its very best on display. I readily decide that he must have learned that trick from his father._

_Bruce leans in to whisper advice in my ear, but instead causes a shiver to race through me. He seems to pick up on this as evidenced by the smirk forming on his face. I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing that he knows how easily he can affect me. It just gives him more ammunition to use against me._

_With Bruce’s advice, I pull my checker back, moving on to another checker. I notice Tim flinch slightly and I know I’ve made a good choice. I’m stunned to find that I’ve won by the end of the game, but Tim is gracious about the loss._

_“Okay, Bruce,” Tim says. “It’s your turn to take on Diana.”_

_“With pleasure,” Bruce decides, moving to take Tim’s now empty seat. “Be prepared to lose, Princess.”_

_“Bring it on, Bats,” I counter, earning a round of “whoa’s” from Dick, Tim, and Alfred._

_“I believe Bruce has met his match in the princess,” Dick decides._

_“It’s about time,” Tim adds._

_Alfred just grins at me, his support more than evident. “I believe they are equally and very well matched.”_

_The checker match begins and I am on my own this time, the teacher and his protégé going head to head. I try to remember everything that he taught me, but he’s obviously had more practice than I have. I am more than a little pleased when I take his checker only for him to tell me to king him on the next move._

_I scowl my annoyance only to receive a grin in return. He’s far too handsome and charming for his own good and he likes to use it against me. I decide it’s time to even the odds. I cross my legs beneath the table, my foot caressing his leg. I watch with great satisfaction as he instantly stiffens, his grin immediately fading away._

_The cocky smugness that had permeated his eyes a moment ago is now replaced with something far darker and more dangerous as my foot continues its focused assault. I slowly rake my teeth over my bottom lip and it has its desired effect as he nearly chokes on his cup of coffee. His eyes narrow as he stares intensely at me and I decide to take it up a notch._

_He releases a low breath as I remove my foot from his leg only to hitch as I place my foot on the edge of his chair right between his thighs. He freezes as if suddenly paralyzed, afraid to move or breathe. I make my move, my checker jumping three of his in rapid succession._

_“That is cheating,” he huskily accuses, his breathing slightly exerted._

_“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I innocently claim as I wave his lost checkers at him._

_“You will pay for that, Princess,” he threatens with narrowing eyes._

_I just grin in response as Tim announces its movie time. I’m surprised to find it’s already evening by the time Alfred returns with a round of turkey sandwiches for supper, the two boys digging in with great enthusiasm. Tim is already starting the movie as Bruce and I return to our spots on the couch, his arm finding its way around me once more._

_Settling in for the movie, I lean heavily against Bruce’s side as Tim’s favorite Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street begins to play. It’s one that I’ve never seen, but at this point we could be watching paint dry for all I cared. I was with Bruce and his family and things couldn’t have been better._

_My arm slips around his waist as my head comes to rest on his shoulder. He tightens his hold on me and I decide that I’ve never felt so safe or cherished as I do in this moment. He presses a kiss to the top of my head as he strokes my hair. He pulls a blanket off the end of the couch, draping it over us both before his arm encircles me again._

_Right here in this amazing moment, I’m whole…I’m me. I’m not some broken shell, a dim shadow of the woman that I used to be. I’m untouched, pure. There are no dark demons lurking inside of me threatening to rise up and destroy me, no battles being waged in my soul._

_I feel my eyelids growing heavy. I fight it because I don’t want to miss a moment of this, but I ultimately feel myself losing the battle, falling asleep in the arms of the man that I love with all that I am before the movie has barely started._

**PRESENT DAY**

_**Batcave; April 9th, 08:59 EST** _

I can’t stop pacing as I wait for Oracle to get back to us, each moment that passes by seeming longer than the last. I hate this. I hate not knowing where Bruce is or what trouble he could be in right now. He could be out there somewhere fighting for his life, needing me to help him and I have no way of getting to him or finding him.

I know Dick told me it’s not unusual for Bruce to miss a check-in call, but I know with every fiber of my being that something is very wrong. He is in trouble and I have no idea where he is or if he’s even still in Gotham any more. He could be anywhere by now.

I continue my pacing, the steady drops of water descending from somewhere deep in the recesses of the cave echoing all around me in the perfect makeshift amphitheater made of rock. In the past, it had been considered a distant comfort, a soothing background noise to the chaos that has been our lives as of late. 

Now it is loud and intrusive…infuriating beyond measure.

I fight the overpowering urge to fly through the endless catacomb of tunnels and caverns in search of the offensive sound that only seems to be growing louder and louder with every single globule of water that plummets into the pool below. I want to smash the rocks and stalactites into nothing but dust and end the noise once and for all, but I know that I can’t. 

It won’t help the situation in the least to destroy the sanctuary that Bruce so meticulously built, his second home. I can’t do that to him despite the raw emotions pounding through my system, the way my hands are balled into tight fists of helpless rage.

It feels as though I’m drowning, being plunged into icy water and held far beneath the surface by an invisible force I can’t begin to fight against. The rocky walls seem to be closing in all around me, creating my prison…my coffin. Without him here that’s exactly what it feels like—suffocating and so utterly lonely. 

The haunting images that have been seared into my mind threaten to steal my very breath as my pulse quickens. It’s so dark, so stifling and I wonder how I’ll survive another minute without him here with me…without losing my sanity. My heart is already breaking and I can’t help wondering if my mind will be the next to go.

Is this how Bruce felt when Callahan and his men had come to the manor for me that dreadful night six months ago? Like his whole world had just been ripped apart at the seams with little hope of repair? As if the sun had just been torn right out of the sky, taking all the warmth and light along with it?

His constant love and support has made me even stronger than ever before, not weaker like I thought it would. I just wish he was here for me to tell him that. He has no idea how much he truly means to me, how deep my love for him has grown over these last several months. It runs far deeper now, all-consuming beyond my wildest dreams. I’d never imagined love for a man could actually feel this way, so intense and wonderful in every way.

But now, he’s missing and I’ll never get a chance to tell him how I really feel. After what happened to me, I had closed a part of myself off to him…to everyone, refusing to fully allow him in. Bruce tried to get me to see what I was doing to myself, but I had refused to listen even to him. Instead, I was keeping a part of myself locked away, afraid to let him get too close to me despite how I feel about him.

My gaze turns once more to the computer screen and I can’t contain the panic that instantly surges in my chest. I don’t know what’s taking Barbara so long to get back to us or why Dick hasn’t called me yet. He left to tie some things up in Blüdhaven so he could stay here for a few days to help me look for Bruce, but I’d hoped he’d be back by now.

I continue to fight my instincts that tell me to go out there and tear through Gotham like a woman possessed in order to find Bruce. This is his city and I agreed to abide by his rules. Right now, though, I need to listen to Dick, reminding myself that he is practically the epitome of the real Batman himself. He would know best where to look for him and who we need to talk to.

I pause to look up at the rocks overhead as I try to clear my mind. This just can’t be happening. It feels like the beginning of another nightmare with no end anywhere in sight. I know that I’ve hurt him over the last several months by shutting him out and trying to deal with what happened to me on my own and yet he has never given up on me.

The visible signs of what I’d endured over those dreadful five days faded away in less than a week, but I fear sometimes that I’ll carry the emotional and mental scars inside of me forever. If not for Bruce’s understanding, I probably would have. Without even realizing it, his love and patience has helped to carry me through one of the most traumatic events in my life.

He has been patiently trying to help me heal the countless scars that are unseen by the naked eye despite my attempts to keep him at a distance. I would have given up on me a long time ago, but not Bruce. It’s ironic how he is typically the one trying to keep everyone at arms’ length and now I’ve been doing the very same thing to him. Maybe he hasn’t given up on me because he understands all too well what I’ve been struggling to come to terms with.

Now, though, he is missing and I feel like I’m back in that room once more, bound with rope and dangling from that ceiling. The nightmare is beginning all over again and in the worst way imaginable. It’s him this time instead of me and it makes me ill to my core, ripping open wounds that I had believed I’d never have to face again.

I glance down at my hands to find them trembling. I angrily ball them into tight fists once more, refusing to give in to the emotions swelling and swirling inside of me like a violently building storm. I will not give in, refuse to show any hint of weakness because if I do then those animals that abused me have won and I can’t let that happen.

I need to focus on Bruce right now. He needs me and I will not fail him. When I had been kidnapped, I knew with every fiber of my being that he would come for me and I will do no less for him. We share an inexplicable bond that I’ve never felt with another and I know that he feels it too. There is nothing that we would not do for each other and now is no different. I would go to the ends of the Earth for him and beyond.

Whoever has him had better begin running for their lives now because I am coming for them. I may not be able to come as Wonder Woman for the sake of our secret identities, but I will be coming and they will not escape my wrath or my vengeance for I am an Amazon and I will not be denied.

_“Diana, it is our duty to rise above sorrow and to remain strong in the face of tragedy,” Hippolyta says, her hand resting on my shoulder. “I know this is very difficult, my sun and stars, but you must bury your pain.”_

_Tears stream down my face as I kneel beside my horse. Its hoof got caught between some rocks, breaking its leg. My beloved horse is suffering and me along with it. My mother’s arms wrap around my shoulders from behind, pulling me up to my feet and away from him. I can barely see him through the wash of tears that continue to blur my vision._

_I try so hard to be strong and to not cry…to be the Amazon my mother expects me to be, but it’s next to impossible when my beloved horse is hurt with no hope of recovering. I may be a twelve year old child, but I’m old enough to know that my horse cannot survive this injury. He’ll have to be put down. It’s the most compassionate thing to do._

_I allow my mother to lead me away, noticing her slight nod to Phillipus. She gives me a sympathetic smile as I walk away on trembling legs, tears dripping from my chin. My mother rubs my arm as we head towards the palace, trying to be comforting to me, but I just want to be alone right now._

_“Diana, chin up,” she softly tells me. “I know this is difficult, but, as an Amazon princess, you must always lock away the pain…show great strength in the face of adversity. You are an example to your Amazon sisters to follow.”_

_Right now, I don’t want to think about my sisters or locking away my pain or being a strong Amazon princess. I want my favorite horse back with me where he belongs. Without a second thought, I take off, running away from my mother…away from the palace. I just want to be alone to cry and mourn for my friend, not to be told that I need to move on or that I need to be strong._

_Agapios and I shared a special bond and now he is gone._

With my hands fisted at my sides, I turn and make my way to the training room in desperate need of some sort of release for the rage and fear teeming deep within me. I feel like I could crawl right out of my skin at this moment, desperation clawing at my soul. I have to find Bruce before I lose him forever.

Entering the training room, I stalk straight towards the punching bag, my fist immediately connecting with it. I begin to pound away it, pouring all of my hurt and fear and pent up fury into every blow as tears begin to blur my vision. My breathing grows ragged with my vicious assault, the punching bag finally succumbing to my attack as it rips free from its reinforced anchors that Bruce put in just for me. The bag flies across the training room, smacking into the far wall and splitting open.

I drop to my knees as the sounds of dripping water fill my ears again only this time it’s not from the cave but from me as the first tears I’ve shed since I was in the hospital finally begin to fall, splashing onto the training mat beneath me.

“Bruce, where are you?” I tearfully murmur to no one as my chin falls to my chest, my heart breaking open like the punching bag did.

I don’t know how long I’m there, but the unexpected feel of arms encircling me gives me a sudden burst of hope. I lean against him, burying my face into his chest. Deep down, I know it’s not him, but I don’t have the strength right now to pull away.

All the pain and anguish of the last six months comes roaring to the surface with a fierce vengeance, all the suppressed emotions breaking free. I’m just so very tired—tired of fighting, tired of the nightmares and pain…of feeling as though I’ll never be able to breathe again. I just want Bruce back, to tell him how sorry I am and that I love him with all my heart.

Strong arms wrap tighter around me, a hand stroking my hair. We stay that way for a long time, neither of us moving. I finally begin to pull myself together, knowing that if I want to find him I have to bury all of this until I can share it all with him like he’s been patiently waiting for me to do these last several months.

I lift my head, tears still streaming down my face to find Kal on his knees facing me. Tears glisten in his eyes and I know that he shares my pain…silently has been for the last six months despite my refusal to allow him in. He gently brushes my hair from my face before using his thumbs to erase my tears.

He doesn’t say a single word, offers no empty platitudes about how everything is going to be all right or that Bruce will be okay. He knows it won’t work with me. He just kneels there on the training mat with me as I try to catch my breath again, struggling to regain some semblance of control.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, averting my eyes as I wipe away the last remnants of my tears.

“You have absolutely nothing to apologize for, Diana…not to me or anyone else for that matter,” he sternly tells me, his expression fixed with determination.

“What are you doing here?”

“Dick returned a little while ago and saw you in here,” he replies. “He was worried about you so he called me and asked me to come see you.”

I frown in annoyance, thankful for Dick and Kal’s concern, but also embarrassed about showing such lack of control. “Bruce is missing,” I simply tell him.

“Dick informed me,” he reveals. “What do we need to do?”

“Did he tell you anything about where he was going or how he could be contacted?”

“No, I’m sorry,” Kal says. “He only told me that he was going undercover for a few days and to keep an eye on you.”

I roll my eyes with an annoyed huff. “That man is so infuriating,” I grumble. “I think he told everyone he knows to keep an eye on me.”

“He really loves you, Diana,” he replies. “He’s been beside himself with worry about you since he found you…we all have. He knows you haven’t been handling things very well. He hated leaving you, but he knew he had to if he was going to find his friend’s daughter and those other girls.”

I run my hands over my face before running my fingers through my hair. “I know…I’m sorry,” I apologize again. “I know everyone’s been worried about me, but right now we need to worry about Bruce. Hera only knows what’s happening to him right now, Kal.”

“We’ll find him,” he reassures me. “Bruce is strong and resilient. You know that he won’t give up without a fight. Come; let’s go see what Dick and Barbara have found out.”

I silently nod my head as I get to my feet, drawing a shuddering breath. I actually feel a little better…better than I have felt in months. I know mother would not have approved but releasing my pain like this has turned out to be the greatest relief since the nightmare first began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Is the beginning of a turnaround for Diana? I think it might be! She's a tough cookie and nothing will keep her down for long especially if Bruce is in trouble!
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce makes up for their ruined date. In the present, Superman tries to help find Bruce as some revelations are made. :)


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**_Batcave; December 11th, 19:03 EST_ **

_Sitting before the Cray computer system, I read through another file, the information beginning to all run together into an endless burr of words. I have no idea how long I’ve been down here, but I’m more than determined to help these girls. I won’t rest…I can’t, not when these girls are out there somewhere enduring Hera knows what._

_Thanksgiving has come and gone and we’re no closer to finding them. Our kidnappers have gone silent for the time being, making me very tense about what they’re up to and what they have done with the ones they’ve already taken. Are they even still alive?_

_That pesky roil of nausea returns with a vengeance that I have yet been able to conquer. I will the nausea down, refusing to allow it to fully take hold of me this time. It’s becoming a little easier at times, but not always. It makes me wonder if I’ll ever get my life back to normal or if I’ll ever be me again._

_Bruce had been out last night again until just before dawn, searching for any clues that might help him figure out who is behind these kidnappings. Unfortunately, the streets of Gotham have gone silent, refusing to give up its dark secrets. I can see how it’s wearing so heavily on him. I don’t think he’s been sleeping much more than I have, willingly carrying the weight of this case squarely on his shoulders._

_I pause to rub my eyes that are burning with fatigue. Sleep is a luxury that isn’t meant for me. While sleep always finds me every night so do the nightmares that refuse to leave me be. Even though Bruce found me over two months ago, it feels as though I’m still being held prisoner by Ian and Declan in that damn room. They come to me every night in my dreams, assaulting me and touching me in ways that no man has ever done._

_I know that Callahan is dead. I saw the crime scene photos. Still, his fingers drag across my skin, his teeth sink into my flesh and his cattle prod sends electrical currents racing through my body nearly making me blackout. I swear I can still smell the burning of my own flesh, taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth from biting back my screams._

_It was the first time that all control had been stripped from me along with my powers. It rattled me far deeper than I could ever begin to imagine that it would. It still does and I don’t know how I’ll ever get past it, how I’ll ever find myself again._

_My world has been completely shattered. I’m trying desperately to put all the pieces of myself back together again as fast as possible, but it’s difficult when my very foundation has been shaken to the ground. Everything I’ve ever believed about myself and who I am has been turned upside down._

_I don’t know to find my way anymore, but I will not give up trying. I am an Amazon._

“Do I really have to do this, mother?”

“My sun and stars, you are an Amazon and my daughter,” my mother reminds me. “It is your duty as the Princess of the Amazons to learn our ways and to carry out our traditions.”

“But I want to ride my new horse I got for my birthday,” I stubbornly counter with a scowl.

She walks over to me sitting on the corner of my bed, sitting down beside me. “You will once you have completed your studies for today with Antiope.”

“It’s so boring,” I pout, lightly swinging my feet back and forth. “I’d rather train with my sword or swim in the ocean than have to study all of those old dusty scrolls.”

A small smile curls the corners of her lips as she places a gentle hand on my leg. “I understand, Diana, but there are going to be many times in your life when you are going to have to do things that you don’t want to do. An Amazon must put her duties before herself and her desires.”

“But if I’m a princess, I should be able to do whatever I want to,” I argue, knowing deep down it is a futile endeavor. I never win an argument with my mother and it frustrates me.

“Diana, this is not up for debate,” my mother sternly states, straightening her shoulders and holding her head high. “You are the Princess of the Amazons and as such you will attend to your studies. What you want or what you feel is inconsequential when it comes to your position as princess and Amazon.”

“Yes, mother,” I softly reply, heartbroken that I can’t spend time with my new horse. What is the point of getting a new horse for my birthday if I still haven’t been able to ride it yet?

_“Diana?”_

_I look up sharply with the sound of my name, realizing that Bruce had been calling it for quite some time. “I’m sorry,” I apologize as I sit up a little straighter in his chair, attempting to shake off the memories from my past that linger in my mind. “When did you get back?”_

_“Just now,” he replies, studying me intently._

_“Were you able to repair the security system on the Watchtower?”_

_“It took some time, but with Mister Terrific’s help it went much faster than if I’d had to do it by myself.”_

_“I hope it wasn’t anything serious.”_

_“No, just time consuming,” he tells me as he places a hand on my shoulder. “Are you all right? You were pretty lost in thought when I came home.”_

_“Yes, I was just thinking,” I murmur, embarrassed by my lapse in attention. It’s been happening more and more frequently lately. I need to watch that. I don’t want to draw any more unwanted attention and worry to myself._

_He sits down next to me, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his thighs as he clasps his hands before him. I can tell by the expression on his face as well as his posture he’s going to try to get me to talk to him. “What were you thinking about?”_

_I release a sigh, knowing that he deserves some sort of an answer. I haven’t been very forthcoming with them the last couple of months save for rehearsed answers meant to placate. It’s beginning to create a bit of tension between us, Bruce not buying my go-to responses one bit. It’s really no wonder he doesn’t buy it. He’s been using the exact same lines for years._

_“My mother,” I confess with a sigh._

_His brow furrows with the revelation, a frown forming on his face. I know how he feels about my mother and her decision to exile me. It’s a tense subject at best. “I’m sorry you can’t see her,” he tells me, his tone sincere as he takes my hand in his. “I know that you miss your home very much.”_

_“I do, but it’s all right,” I lamely reassure him with a forced smile meant to reassure. We both know that it isn’t all right, but we pretend that it is for my sake. “I was remembering when I had received a new stallion for my tenth birthday. Mother wouldn’t let me ride him until I’d completed all of my studies with Antiope which took another two weeks.”_

_“What did you name your horse?”_

_“Agapios,” I inform him, fondness filling my voice as I think about my favorite horse._

_“Love,” Bruce translates with a grin. “I’m sure your male horse enjoyed being called ‘Love’.”_

_I can’t help but blush slightly as I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear with my free hand. “I had just learned of Orpheus and Eurydice and I fell in love with their story.”_

_“It has a tragic ending,” he points out._

_“I know, but for a time they were so happy and in love,” I tell him, knowing that I probably sound like a foolish schoolgirl. “Orpheus went through so much to try to get her back.”_

_“I never took you for a romantic, Princess,” he says as he pulls my hand towards him, pressing a kiss to my knuckles._

_“I guess a part of me always has been to some extent, but the warrior takes precedence most of the time,” I admit with a slight shrug. “Besides, I was ten years old. What ten year old girl isn’t a little romantic?”_

_“I wouldn’t know,” he teased. “I was never a ten year old girl. Besides, I’ve only raised boys.”_

_I can’t help but chuckle with his response. “Well then trust me. It’s true.”_

_His face grows solemn and I know what’s coming. “You look tired,” he notes with concern in his eyes, his fingers lightly caressing my cheek. “You need to take a break from all of this. I don’t want this case to consume you. You’ve already been through more than your share of trauma without taking this on too.”_

_“I can’t stop now,” I reply with a shake of my head, “not until these girls are home safe.”_

_“I know how you feel, Diana,” he reassures me. “I want these girls found as badly as you do and I will find them. Right now, you need to take a break and I just so happen to have just the thing.”_

_I look at him with an air of curiosity, wondering what he’s up to. “What would that be?”_

_“Well, I ruined our last attempt at a dinner date a couple of weeks ago,” he reminds me. “I want to make it up to you.”_

_The corner of my mouth curls with the reminder. I had been disappointed that our dinner date had been interrupted, but I knew we had to leave that night with the sudden disappearance of another student. I couldn’t have enjoyed our evening out, knowingly that I was keeping Bruce from trying to find these girls._

_“You don’t have to make it up to me, Bruce,” I assure him, squeezing his hand. “I understand needing to leave. I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy our date knowing that another girl had just been taken.”_

_He pulls me up from the chair, refusing to let go of my hand. “Come on,” he insists. “You need a break and I haven’t had dinner yet. Alfred said you haven’t eaten either.”_

_“I’m not really that hungry,” I try to tell him._

_His frown deepens as he looks me up and down. I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but it’s still more than obvious that I’ve yet to regain much of the weight that I’d lost during my ordeal. “You need to eat and I’m going to make sure that you do,” he claims. “You look far too fragile.”_

_“I’ll show you just how fragile I am, Dark Knight,” I threaten him, squeezing his hand._

_He winces slightly, but it doesn’t deter him from leading me up and out of the Batcave and into the manor. “Just let me make it up to you.”_

_“I never took you for a romantic, Bruce,” I challenge him, curious as to what he’s up to._

_“Well, I guess you bring out a side of me that I’d buried a long time ago,” he reveals._

_It brings a smile to my face as he leads me into the dining room. Sitting down at the far end of the table, I lean in and kiss him after he settles into his usual seat at the head of the table, silently thanking my gods for him. He readily returns the kiss, his fingers sliding up into my hair and making me forget all about eating._

_We are interrupted by a throat-clearing cough, forcing us to break the kiss before we can get carried away. “I am most apologetic for interrupting, but your dinner will get cold if I don’t,” Alfred informs us._

_“Bruce, I’m hardly dressed for a nice dinner,” I point out, glancing down at my clothes._

_“You look perfect,” he assures me as Alfred enters with two plates of food that he places before us._

_“I hope you enjoy your meal,” Alfred announces as he uncovers both plates, revealing my favorite dish. “I’ll be in the kitchen should you require anything else.”_

_“Thank you, Alfred,” Bruce replies._

_I can feel Bruce watching me, silently hoping that I’ll eat every bit of the food that Alfred had conspiratorially piled on my plate. There’s enough here to feed two people at least. There’s no way I could have eaten all of this before I had been abducted._

_“I think Alfred got our plates mixed up,” I tell Bruce as I try to switch plates with him. “This must be yours.”_

_“No,” he firmly states, batting my hand away. “It’s all for you. Now, eat up.”_

_I try my hand at a dangerous, threatening glare only to receive an unimpressed eye roll from him. I huff my annoyance, but he’s already digging into his own plate. I pick up my fork and twirl the linguini around the tines of my fork before lifting it to my mouth and taking a bite._

_My eyes fall closed at the burst of flavor that dances on my tongue. It’s far too delicious to ignore the soft moan that escapes against my will. It’s not that I can’t eat. I’m sure I can eat as well as I’ve always eaten if I really tried. The problem comes with making it stay put…well that and I just haven’t had much of an appetite._

_A dark memory will rise up out of nowhere, a smell that reminds me of my ordeal or another girl is taken and my stomach quickly rebels against me. It’s gotten a little better lately, but it obviously poses a problem that I don’t want to think about._

_“So what are you planning for us tonight?” I ask, my curiosity far from sated. There is more that Bruce has yet to reveal._

_“Patience, Princess,” he replies with a grin. “Isn’t enjoying my charming personality enough for you?”_

_“Of course it’s enough,” I reassure him. “I can just tell that you’re up to something.”_

_“I’m as innocent as the pure driven snow,” he tries to tell me._

_I laugh in response, nearly choking on my pasta. “I don’t know how you managed to get all of that out and still keep a straight face.”_

_A mischievous glint suddenly fills his azure eyes, causing a flutter to erupt in my stomach. “Are you calling me a liar, Miss Prince?” he asks with a smoldering gaze meant to intimidate and seduce._

_His sexy baritone voice rakes up my spine, his piercing gaze making it difficult to remember my own name. “No, I wouldn’t call you a liar, but you may be a little on the delusional side.”_

_Bruce chuckles with my observation as he reaches for his glass of wine. “Delusional?” he repeats. “I’ve definitely been called many things and accused of far worse.”_

_I feel my expression soften, my hand instinctively reaching for him. I caress his cheek, gazing deeply into his eyes. “You’re the most compassionate, bravest man I’ve ever known, Bruce,” I reply. “Anyone who says different will have to deal with me.”_

_He turns his head to press his lips to my palm. “My own guardian angel.”_

_“Someone has to,” I tell him as I retract my hand._

_“You know I haven’t done that bad on my own,” he counters._

_I can’t help but stare at him in utter disbelief. “Sweet Aphrodite, Bruce,” I nearly cry. “Do I have to remind you how many times you’ve almost died just in the two years that I’ve known you?”_

_His brow furrows as he thinks about it, placing his cloth napkin on the table. “I’m sure it’s not nearly as many times as you think.”_

_I slowly push my plate away from me, hoping Bruce won’t notice. “Do I need to start naming them off for you?” I threaten. “Let’s see…there was the time you were bit by Copperhead and left the infirmary against J’onn’s orders. Oh, and don’t forget when you used the Watchtower as a missile. Then, there was the time—”_

_He abruptly leans over and silences me with a fierce kiss which he quickly deepens in order to quiet me. He finally pulls back after several long moments; his breathing as exerted as mine is at that moment. He doesn’t return to his seat, his elbow resting on the edge of the table and his lips hovering so close to mine._

_“I think you’ve made your point, Princess,” he murmurs, his warm breath pulsating against my face._

_My lips curl into a triumphant grin as my eyes flicker to his lips once more. “So you’re admitting defeat?”_

_“I’m admitting no such thing,” he huskily insists. “Since you’re obviously not going to eat anymore, I guess it’s time we move on with our date.”_

_“What did you have in mind?” I breathlessly ask, my heart beating a little harder in anticipation._

_He pulls back much to my dismay, standing to his feet and offering me his hand. I take it without question, rising to my feet and following him into the ballroom. The lights are set on dim, the soft strains of music already filling the room._

_He pauses in the middle of the enormous room to gently pull me into his arms. “May I have this dance?”_

_With a faint smile, I silently nod my head, feeling myself falling even more in love with this man as we slowly begin to move to the music. It’s not passion-filled, our movements anything but energetic or lively. We simply sway to the music, his arms around my waist and mine around his neck._

_We lose ourselves in each other’s eyes and the things that we find playing out there that have yet to be spoken. We’re not superheroes in that moment, I’m not damaged and he’s not broken. We’re just a man and woman savoring this moment of peace and quiet, two hearts becoming further entwined._

_I lay my head on his shoulder, my nose nuzzling the hollow of his neck. I greatly appreciate the effort that he has been making in this relationship, knowing how difficult it can be for him at times especially with such a horrifying unsolved case taking place in Gotham right now._

_I know how hard it’s been for him, watching me struggle and refusing to talk to him about it. I have to try harder to let him into my darkness, but I’m afraid to. I’m scared that he’ll never look at me the same again if I let him in, pushing me away and never looking back._

_I breathe deeply, relishing his masculine scent that sends tingles racing through my body. He rests his forehead on top of my head and I know that it’ll have to end soon. Gotham is no doubt waiting for its Dark Knight and protector to come to her rescue, but for now he’s all mine and I’m not letting him go._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Batcave; April 9th, 11:02 EST_ **

I take a seat beside Dick before the massive computer array, Kal taking a seat on the other side of the former Robin. Dick tries to steal an inconspicuous glance at me, but I notice it. His concern for me is unmistakable as he pulls up a map of Gotham.

I lean over and whisper in his ear in an attempt to reassure him. “Thank you, Dick.”

A smile forms on his lips as he turns to look at me. “All good?”

“Better,” I decide, feeling as though the lead weight that had been chained to my heart has lightened somewhat. Things were far from perfect yet, but I know they won’t be until Bruce is back and I have a chance to really talk to him.

“So what’s the plan?” Kal asks.

“I think we need to start at Bruce’s known hideouts,” Dick explains. “He has six of them strategically spaced throughout Gotham.”

“Of course he does,” Kal drolly says and I know without even looking that there was an accompanying eye roll with that statement. “Sometimes I seriously wonder about him.”

“You’re not the only one…trust me,” Dick concurs.

“Let’s divide them up and start looking for him,” I suggest, anxious to get out there and do something to find him instead of just sitting here talking about it.

“We’re not going to be able to go out until dark,” Dick replies and I feel my heart breaking a little more. Dark was still several, very long hours away.

I close my eyes and draw a deep breath, trying my best not to think of the horrors that he could be enduring at this moment. Unfortunately, I know all too well what some of those horrible things could be and it causes the nausea to return. I can’t bear to think of Bruce going through any of what I went through for even a moment.

“There has to be something we can do until then,” I say, my voice sounding far stronger than I had anticipated.

“We can try to solve this kidnapping case,” Dick tells us. “If we can figure out who’s behind all of this and where the girls are being held we’ll find Bruce.”

Kal leans forward, his elbow coming to rest on the desk as he props his head up with his hand. “Okay, so where are you at in the investigation?”

“We’ve ruled out at least three people, one suspect is MIA, and we have quite a few yet on the list that could be involved in this,” Dick recounts. “It’s been a very tedious process to say the least.”

“These girls all come from diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. There are some that have some complex issues going on in their lives,” I explain. “Some come from abusive relationships and others from very wealthy families.”

“Have any ransom demands been made?” Clark asks, his mind obviously working through what we’ve told him so far. 

I sometimes forget that Kal possesses impressive analytical skills of his own that come in useful in his job as an investigative reporter. When I look at him, I see a best friend with superhuman strength and a heart to match, not someone who could also look at things with an analytical eye.

“None,” Dick replies with a shake of his head. “That’s what makes this so much worse.”

“You’re thinking forced prostitution or sex slave trade ring?” Superman guesses.

“Tell me what you think,” Dick tells him as he pulls up pictures of all the missing girls. “These are all the girls who have been taken so far.”

Seeing all of these girls’ pictures lined up on the screen like this makes my blood turn ice cold. Far too young, far too many lives destroyed because of these cold-hearted monsters. It only serves to inflame my fury over this whole crime.

My eyes fall on the beautiful smiling picture of Willow Stevens and my heart aches all over again. I can only imagine how horrifying her last few hours on earth must have been, how degrading and painful. I want nothing more than to find these girls and keep them from ending up like Willow did.

“They all have blond hair and blue eyes. They almost all look as though they could be related,” Kal keenly observes, his eyes narrowing as he points at Willow. “What does this asterisk mean here?”

“She’s deceased,” Dick grimly reveals. “She was found dead in an alley last night.”

“What happened to her?”

“Raped, beaten, and strangled,” Dick lists off with a heavy sigh.

I know even after all these years of doing this job that it hasn’t gotten any easier for Dick. He takes each one to heart like Bruce always does, carrying the weight of it on his shoulders. I’d be really worried about him if it didn’t still affect him in some way.

Kal sits back in his chair as he releases a long breath, pausing to rub his eyes. “I’ll never understand this city,” he mutters. “There’s such a black cloud of depravity that constantly hangs over it. It feels like nothing Bruce does will ever totally fix it and yet I know he’s making a huge difference here.”

“It’s a wonder he hasn’t completely lost his mind by now,” Dick agrees. “The closest I’ve seen to that happening was when Diana was taken.”

I look over at Dick, my sorrow no doubt evident in my face. I know Bruce struggled greatly after my kidnapping, but I’m just recently learning just how difficult it truly had been for him. In my attempt to protect him and safeguard his identity, I’d hurt him deeply, but I know in my heart I’d do it all over again in order to keep him safe.

“I’m sorry, Diana,” Dick quickly apologizes as if suddenly realizing what he’d just said in front of me.

“Don’t be,” I murmur, turning my focus back to the screen. “Now I understand even more what he must have gone through because of me now that I’m living it.”

“He wasn’t the only one worried about you,” Kal interjects.

“Let’s just focus on solving this case and finding Bruce,” I state. “I’m not going to go five days of not knowing where he is or what’s happening to him like he had to do for me.”

“We’ll find him, Di,” Dick tries to reassure me, but I can tell that he’s growing worried too. It does little to settle my own near panic.

“Okay, let’s say they are kidnapping these girls and selling them as sex slaves,” Kal begins. “Who in Gotham would most likely be behind such a thing or benefit from the money?”

“Bruce already ruled out the usual heavy-hitters in Gotham,” Dick informs him. “This isn’t something that someone like the Penguin or Two-Face would get involved in. This is a new player in town.”

“That’s not good,” Kal grumbles under his breath. “It’s going to make it that much harder to discover who’s behind it.”

“I remember at one point a few months ago that Bruce was even considering Declan MacCaffrey,” I disclose.

Dick frowns as he begins typing, looking for a file. “I thought I saw something in one of Bruce’s files that he was investigating Declan even further. I thought it was just because of what he did to you and the Ash problem.”

“Isn’t he in jail right now?” Kal asks with a scowl.

“He is, but he’s also head of the Irish Mafia,” Dick explains. “There must be someone who has stepped in to take Declan’s place now that he’s in Blackgate prison.”

“Bruce and I went to see Declan a few months ago to question him about the kidnappings,” I inform them, my voice sounding haunting even to me.

Two sets of blue eyes practically bore through me, a myriad of questions begging to be asked all at once. Dick is the first to recover his wits enough to ask the first question that pops into his head. “Bruce let you go with him to see Declan?”

The incredulity in his voice is unmistakable; his slacked jaw expression almost comical if the situation wasn’t so dire. “He didn’t let me,” I clarify with an irritated scowl. “I told him that I was going. It turned into a huge fight, but we ended up going together to Blackgate to see Declan.”

Kal chuckled softly from his seat on the other side of Nightwing. “Dick, when will you learn that you don’t let Diana do anything?”

“I guess you’re right,” Dick says. “She’s as bad as Bruce.”

Kal leans forward to look past Dick at me. “So what did you find out from Declan?” 

“I’m afraid not much,” I reply, memories of that encounter flooding my mind as Kal and Dick begin to talk about the possibility.

Bruce had warned me it wasn’t a good idea to come with him to Blackgate. He had tried everything he could think of to keep me from going with him, but I had been just as determined to go as he was for me not to go. In the end, he had been right of course, but I still refused to admit it to him.

The nightmares only got worse after that. It’s almost like Declan has some sort of magical hold on me that I can’t begin to break free from. I had honestly believed that seeing him would make me feel better, would bring about some much needed closure that I felt I had never gotten. 

Unfortunately, it had only made things that much worse in the end.

I felt even more enraged than before—angry at everyone…even Bruce but mostly at myself. Things with Bruce had gotten pretty tense after that night. I tried harder to pretend that I was fine which, looking back now, I realize only made him feel that much more helpless and frustrated then he already was. I see now how much I had actually been pushing him away while closing everyone off around me in an effort to protect myself from ever being hurt again.

It was a ludicrous thing to do, trying to protect myself when in reality I was constantly trying to hurt myself. I was throwing myself into dangerous situations that I never should’ve gone into alone, ending missions with far more scrapes and injuries than I’d ever had before.

I feel tears prick my eyes again as I think of how much heartache I’d put Bruce through. He’d been hurting this whole time too, struggling with everything that had happened to me those five days and everything that was happening with me now. I swear once we find him I’m never going to let him go, spending every minute of my life showing him just how much I love him…if he’ll still have me that is.

I can hardly blame him for wanting to break things off with me. The last few months have been anything but pleasant at times, definitely not at all like I had imagined things would be for us once we had finally gotten together as a couple.

I’m brought out of my painful thoughts by Dick who addresses me. “I’m sorry,” I apologize. “What about Declan?”

“Kal and I were just wondering if you remembered Ian or Declan saying anything remotely connected to the string of kidnappings while they had you,” Dick says.

I frown as I’m forced back to that room—the rope, the torture that never seemed to end, the roaming mouth and hands of an animal. It makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. I swallow back the acrid bile that fills my throat, refusing to give in to the fear that slowly slithers up my spine.

“Declan never spoke when he was in the room with me. I always knew it was him by the stench of his cologne,” I slowly begin, recalling the events I’ve tried so very hard to suppress, but I know that I have to if it’ll help me get Bruce back. “He…he only came to touch and kiss me…never to talk.”

I not only close my eyes against the dreadful memories but also because I can’t bear to see the pain that no doubt reflects in their eyes. I know it’s because they care about me, but it only adds to the emotional tug-o-war that’s been waged in my soul ever since I was taken. Guilt vies with rage, fear tangles with shame, self-loathing wrestles with endless heartache.

I feel a hand on my arm and I instinctively flinch in response only to force myself to try to relax the next moment. I can feel my breathing accelerate, but I’m hoping against hope that I’ll be able to remember something…anything that Ian may have said that could help us find these girls as well as Bruce.

“Diana, if you don’t want to—” Dick begins.

“No, I’ll do whatever it takes if it’ll help us find Bruce,” I insist, squeezing my eyes closed. “Ian was the one who did all the talking. He’d rant incessantly, always boasting about how I was his girl and he was going to make me his prize. When he tortured me, it was always questions about Bruce and what I knew about Ash. 

“I don’t remember him ever saying anything about kidnapping other women or any sex trade rings. Once, one of Ian’s henchmen snuck in to the room where I was being kept. He was going to try…he was…”

My voice cracks against my will, failing me completely. I draw a deep breath before trying again. “He didn’t get far. Ian came in and stopped him before he could do very much to me. Ian gutted him with his knife right there before me. There was nothing I could do to stop it…to stop any of it.”

“It’s okay, Diana,” Kal gently tells me. “You never have to think about it again.”

I open my eyes with a sharp intake of air, feeling as though I hadn’t been able to breathe for days. “We have to find him…we have to find Bruce and these girls,” I insist with a fresh flash of panic. “If it’s the same men who had me, he’s in horrible danger. These men are soulless animals who will stop at nothing to get what they want. We have to find him before it’s too late.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Will they find Bruce in time? Who is behind all of this? Much more coming so hang with me!
> 
> UP NEXT: Batman and Nemesis visit Declan in jail. In the present, Nightwing and Nemesis check out one of Bruce's hideouts. What will they find when they get there?
> 
> Thanks for following along with me! You guys are the bestest. Keep up the love and support for Wonderbat! :)


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_**Gotham; January 3rd, 21:44 EST**_

_The tension between us is near suffocating, Bruce’s jaw clenched so I tight I swear that his teeth are about to crack into pieces at any moment. His grip on the steering wheel is no less tight, his steely gaze focused straight ahead on the road and nothing else…especially not me._

_I’ve seen him this furious a few times before, but it’s never been directed solely at me. It’s a little disconcerting to say the least despite the fact that I’ve never been afraid of him, but it does make me second guess my decision to come with him tonight. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I shouldn’t do this._

_I decide that things can’t possibly get any worse than they already seem to be so why not grasp hold of this chance for some sort of closure? The nightmares haven’t lessened in the least, the anger and shame constantly right there beneath my skin like a virus waiting to destroy me from the inside out. Hopefully coming face to face again with the man behind my kidnapping and torture will help._

_I know I’ll never get to face the monster that hurt me the most. Ian Callahan is dead. No closure could ever come from him, but I’m hoping that I will still be able to get that by finally facing Declan again. I know I won’t be able to confront him as me tonight, but I’ll take what I can get._

_I glance at Bruce out of the corner of my eye, releasing a weary sigh. He has yet to relax the death grip he has on the steering wheel and I have yet to change my mind on this despite the doubt that still lingers in the back of my mind. The fight that we’d had in the cave prior to our leaving had been our most heated yet, ending when Alfred had finally stepped in._

_Alfred had pulled Bruce aside as I went to change into my Nemesis costume. Whatever the two had discussed would remain a mystery to me. When I’d returned a few minutes later, Bruce was a little bit calmer. No less furious, but definitely calmer and resigned to the fact that I was coming along._

_He hasn’t spoken a single word to me since then and I can’t help wondering if I’ve finally pushed him too far. It actually causes a tremor of fear to spike through me. I can’t lose him. It feels sometimes as though he’s the only thing holding me together and keeping me from losing my hold on my sanity._

_I’ve been robbed of everything that I’ve ever known or believed about myself, but, when Bruce looks at me or holds me, I’m reminded of who I once was. It gives me hope that I’ll find my way back to being her again someday._

_The Batmobile pulls to a stop in a spot that almost completely conceals our presence here. He turns the engine off before sitting back in his seat. He sits there for a long moment, clearly wrestling mightily with something and I know that I’m at the heart of it. It makes my throat constrict, making it difficult to draw a breath, but I’m not going to back down from this._

_I tentatively reach over and place my hand on his arm, his hands still gripping the steering wheel as if steeling himself against the war being waged inside of him. “Bruce, please try to understand,” I softly say. “I have to do this…I need to do this.”_

_His shoulders slump as he releases his grip on the wheel, his hands falling into his lap. He reaches up and pulls his cowl back. I’m stunned by how bright his eyes are. I feel horrible knowing I’m causing him more pain, but I have to do this if I’m ever going to get my life back._

_“I know,” he finally manages to choke out. He draws a deep breath in an effort to regain control once more. “I can’t stand the thought of you anywhere near him, Diana. What he did to you…the condition you were in when I found you…I just…”_

_His voice breaks and my heart aches for him all over again. I reach over and grab his hand, squeezing it. “I’m alive, Bruce,” I remind him. “You got to me in time and I’m here with you now. Nothing is going to take me away from you again.”_

_He turns to look at me, his eyes once again revealing his pain and it steals my breath away. “Just promise me you’ll stay back and let me do the talking,” he replies, his voice stronger than it had been a moment ago. “Please, Diana…just don’t get involved. Stay back in the shadows.”_

_“Fine,” I relent, knowing that I need to at least meet him halfway on this. “I promise I’ll stay back and let you deal with him.”_

_He releases the breath he must have been holding, his body relaxing somewhat. “Thank you,” he murmurs._

_I lean over, my lips finding his. I kiss him with all that I feel in my heart for this man, my hand coming to rest against his cheek. He quickly responds, tilting his head and deepening the kiss as his gauntleted hand grips the back of my head to keep me from pulling away from him any time soon. His kiss is almost possessive…demanding as if drawing strength and comfort from me that he doesn’t feel he has at that moment. I’m more than happy to give him all that I have though I don’t feel as though it’s very much._

_All too soon the kiss ends and we’re both struggling to catch our breath. He brushes his lips against mine once more before finally releasing his hold on me. I find I already miss his closeness, the warmth of his touch and the barely restrained passion that I can feel behind his kisses._

_Even as heated as our kisses are at times, I know that he’s holding so much more of himself back from me. It’s as if there’s a bottled up lust and desire inside of him that’s begging to be released and I’m its target. It causes desire of my own for him to shoot through my veins and it’s all I can do to get out of the car._

_I know Bruce wants to take things slow right now, afraid of pushing me into a physical relationship before I’m truly ready. I love him for it, but I swear sometimes I feel like I’m about to crawl out of my skin with how badly I want him._

_Getting out of the car, the chilly night air hits me, helping to quell a measure of the desire for him that still burns within me. When he kisses me like that, I swear that I forget my own name. It’s dangerous and absolutely thrilling all at the same time and I find my mother’s voice filled with words of caution regarding men growing silent._

_I fall in step beside Bruce and I can’t deny the excitement I feel with being out in Gotham as his partner again. It reminds me of happier times, working together again to solve a case. While he’s been letting me help him with the kidnapping case, it’s been strictly from the confines of the cave._

_This is the first time I’ve been allowed out as Nemesis since my abduction. It’s been more than difficult to accept. It has wounded my stubborn Amazonian pride, but I know I have to abide by his rules or he’ll never let me out of that blasted cave of his._

_Several guards step aside to let us pass through, their wariness and unease in the presence of Batman nearly palpable. The amount of awe and fear that he commands causes pride to swell in my heart. It never ceases to amaze me what this mortal man with no special powers has managed to accomplish since donning the cape and cowl. It makes me fall even more in love with him._

_The officer at the desk visibly pales as we approach; sweat abruptly breaking out across his brow. “What can I do for you, Batman?” he manages to ask with a faint quiver in his voice._

_“I’m here to see Declan MacCaffrey,” he rasps something dark and otherworldly._

_The officer swallows hard, trying to decide how best to answer which obviously isn’t quick enough for the Batman who leans over the desk and growls “now”, nearly causing the poor man to fall backwards out of his chair. It is amusing to witness to say the least._

_“Of course,” the officer responds as he leaps to his feet. “He’s in D block, last cell on the left.”_

_“I know,” Batman states before stalking away, forcing me to quicken my pace to keep up with him._

_I’m momentarily taken aback by the fact that he already knows exactly what cell that Declan is being held in, but I know I really shouldn’t be. This is Bruce and this is what he does best. He knows criminals better than he knows himself sometimes I think. He probably even knows what type of toothpaste the Joker prefers. The thought puts an amused smile on my face, capturing Batman’s attention._

_“What?” he asks, his voice slightly less intimidating._

_“Nothing,” I murmur with a shake of my head, forcing myself to keep a straight face._

_He stares at me for a moment longer before deciding to drop it. We continue the rest of the way in silence, my uneasiness rising with every step I take. I’m not afraid of this man...never have been. He can no longer do anything to hurt me or anyone else for that matter._

_I could break his neck or crush his skull with one blow, but that had been taken away from me the moment that I was bound by rope. It’s still something that I’m struggling to come to terms with. If I don’t have my powers then who am I? Am I still Wonder Woman, capable of being the hero that the people of Earth need me to be? Could I still protect my teammates…save Bruce if I didn’t have my gifts?_

_Being stripped of all control as well as my powers only to be subjected to the depravity that lives in the hearts of evil men has rattled me to the core of my being. I need to face Declan, to prove to myself that I am still the same Diana I was before all of this happened to me._

_Batman comes to a stop before a cell at the end of D block and I steel myself as he growls Declan’s name. Past the cape and cowl, I spot the man who still haunts my dreams. I swear that I can still smell the stench of his cologne as he assaults me with his mouth and his hands, feel his hot breath against my skin and hardening bulge in his pants._

_Declan is dressed in a jumpsuit, lying on his side in his bed with his back to us. He shifts in his sleep, rolling onto his back as Batman growls his name again. His eyes snap open as realization dawns on him. He immediately sits up, his gaze focusing on the two of us standing outside of his cell._

_“What do you want?” he demands, his expression turning into a fierce scowl._

_“We need to talk,” Batman grounds out._

_His hands curl into tight fists and I know that Bruce is struggling to keep from losing his temper. Declan’s gaze shifts from Batman to me, causing a furious growl to emanate from his throat. I square my shoulders, my chin raised in defiance. I refuse to show any emotion to this vile man except for the hatred I feel for him._

_“I have nothing to say to you or anyone else,” Declan states as he gets to his feet and approaches the bars. “If you want anything, go through my lawyer.”_

_Before I can draw my next breath, Batman’s hand is through the bars, grabbing hold of the front of Declan’s jumpsuit and slamming him hard against the metal shafts that separate him from us. Declan begins to struggle against the bars, but Batman’s hold on him is too strong._

_“Let go of me, you freak!” Declan yells, his arms flailing. He grits his teeth as he continues to struggle, blood trickling from his nose._

_“You’re going to tell me what I want to know about the Gotham University student kidnappings,” Batman demands with a sneer as he leans in close._

_“I don’t know anything about it,” Declan snaps. “I’ve been in jail for the last two and a half months.”_

_“For kidnapping Diana Prince on top of many other crimes,” Batman reminds him as he loosens his grip on Declan. “You can see why I might think the recent kidnappings might be related to hers.”_

_Declan pulls back, using the sleeve of his jumpsuit to wipe the tiny trickle of blood from his nose. A wicked smirk forms on his face, making my skin crawl as he stares at us. “How is my beor Diana?” he asks. “I miss that beautiful lass. We had some fine times together, though I never did get the chance to finish what I started with her.”_

_I can practically feel the fury roiling off Batman in fierce waves. My heart is racing, pounding in my ears as I fight to remain in control. I cross my arms over my chest, my fingernails digging through the nomex and into my skin as he looks me up and down._

_“I bet me and you would have a very good time together, beor,” Declan tells me._

_Batman’s hand is through the bars again in less than heartbeat, Declan’s face slammed against the steel. “I want to know who took over your place in the mafia.”_

_“You can go to hell,” Declan spits out, blood now steadily oozing from his nose. “I’ll tell you nothing so you might as well leave.”_

_Batman holds him against the bars a moment longer before finally shoving him away. Declan laughs as we begin to walk away, moving to stand against the bars. “Tell that bear Diana to come visit me!” he yells. “I’d love just thirty minutes alone with that whore in my cell! We have unfinished business to settle!”_

_I swiftly turn on my heel, more than happy to spend thirty minutes alone in his cell with him, but not as Diana Prince. Before I can take two steps back towards Declan’s cell, Batman seizes hold of my both of my shoulders. “Let it go,” he growls low in my ear. “He’s not worth it.”_

_I glare at the man who assaulted me for a couple of moments before finally turning to leave. It’s all I can do to put one boot in front of the other as I follow Batman down the long corridor. I can barely stop from trembling, the fury pounding through me threatening to steal what little self-control I still have left. Nausea causes my stomach to churn violently, forcing me to swallow hard in an effort to keep from vomiting._

_Everything inside of me is screaming at me to turn around and deal with Declan once and for all, to deliver the punishment that he so greatly deserves, but I know that I can’t. I will not allow myself to become like the Justice Lords._

_We walk out into the wintery night air, a light snow beginning to fall as we silently head towards the waiting Batmobile. He walks around to my side of the car, turning on his heel and pulling me into a fierce hug that would’ve crushed a lesser woman._

_He holds me like that for several long moments, hidden in the darkness and shielded from prying eyes as snow falls around us. We’d made it through Christmas and New Year’s Day with little drama and no kidnappings. One visit to Declan and it suddenly feels as though my world is falling down around me all over again._

_“I’m so sorry,” he whispers. “You didn’t need to hear that.”_

_Closing my eyes, I bury my face in his chest as he wraps his cape around me, holding me close against him. It’s like we’re in our own private cocoon, safe from the world around us at least for the moment. I know we can’t stay here like this forever no matter how badly I want to._

_The world needs us, Gotham and these missing girls are counting us and I know we won’t let them down. If I fail them, then I am failing myself and everyone that still believes in me._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 9th, 23:32 EST_ **

Speeding through the streets of Gotham, it feels as though we’re moving in slow motion despite the fact that the Batmobile is breaking speed limits and taking turns far too sharply to be considered safe. I know that Dick is just as anxious to find Bruce as I am. It’s the only thing keeping me from escaping the car and taking off on my own to search for him.

I cast a fleeting glance at my partner, his tension nearly tangible. He’s been doing his best not to let on how worried he’s becoming for my benefit, but I can tell. He’s not his usual jovial self, making quips and adding a lightness to overwhelming situations.

Now, his jaw is set tight, his grip on the steering wheel like steel. He’s barely said two words since we left the Batcave, a heavy silence settling between us. Neither of us is willing to verbally venture down a path out of fear it might actually be true.

I can hardly stand to sit here doing nothing, knowing that Bruce is out there being tortured or going through Hera only knows what. I’ve been trying hard not to think about it, but it’s more than difficult when I know firsthand some of the things that could be happening to him.

My fingers wrap around the door handle as my breathing grows shallower, wondering if he’s even been able to find the girls yet. Has he seen them? Are any of them still in Gotham? Still alive? I know with all my heart that he’ll do everything he can to save them. It both fills me with incredible pride and an even greater sense of fear.

He’ll give up his life if necessary to protect them, go to any length to free them. I just need to make sure that we get there before it comes down to that. He needs backup, needs his gadgets…needs to know he’s not alone in this. I’ll always be right there with him as long as there is breath in my body.

“Do you think he’s—?” I find the words abruptly tumbling from my mouth, but he interrupts me before I can finish.

“We can’t speculate about anything yet, Diana,” he firmly states, his gaze focused straight ahead of him. “Hopefully, we’ll know more after tonight.”

I silently nod my head in response, unable to speak any further thanks to the knot that’s unexpectedly lodged in my throat. I gaze out the passenger window, watching as the buildings whiz by at an incredibly dizzying rate. I can only hope and pray that Kal is able find something that will help us.

I know that Dick was a little hesitant about allowing him to help in Gotham, but he knew that he wasn’t going to be able to talk Kal out of it. I think he let him help us more for my sanity than anything else, though, he couldn’t argue about the fact the more of us there are out there looking for Bruce the better it would be.

Tim had gone to search one of the hide-outs, Kal taking another while Dick and I search the one that we are currently nearing. Oracle is keeping a close watch over the police band, letting us know if any situation arises that requires our help. She’s also monitoring the Batcave for any incoming transmission should Bruce try to make contact.

Barbara’s going back through everything we’ve accumulated on Declan MacCaffrey as well, hoping that she might find something that connects him to all of this. While it has been a theory of Bruce’s that we’ve yet to find any evidence proving, it’s something that we still need to consider. At this point, we can’t overlook any possibilities now that Bruce has disappeared too.

My prayers have yet to cease for safe watch over him and assistance in finding him despite the fact that I feel as though my gods have all turned their backs on me. It’s all I feel I have left anymore, a waning distant hope that maybe…just maybe they’ll actually answer me this time.

Nightwing pulls the Batmobile to a stop in a dark alley that provides the cover we need to begin our search. He turns and looks at me, his lips a thin grim line that does little to settle my fear. “We need to go on foot the rest of the way,” he tells me. “I’ll lead the way.”

“How far away are we?”

“About four blocks,” he informs me as he opens the door. “It’s safer this way.”

Exiting the car, he secures it before he fires his grappling gun. I follow suit, meeting him up on the rooftop of a building. We quickly race across it, reaching the edge and diving to the next rooftop. We continue like this until the distance between rooftops becomes too great for mortal legs to traverse.

Grappling lines take us to the next block and the next set of rooftops. My heart is beginning to pound a little harder, not from exertion but from the worry that continues to pump through my veins. It takes every bit of self-control I possess not to just grab Nightwing under his arms and fly us straight there, but I made a promise to Bruce to not use my powers in his city.

That promise will only last so long. If I need to use my powers to save his life, I will not think twice about it. Flash told me once it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission and this just might end up being one of those times. I’d rather have Bruce angry with me than dead.

I swiftly push thoughts of death from my mind, knowing that I won’t be able to function if I let my mind go there. If he dies on me, I will march down to Hades myself and drag him back if I have to. I’m not about to lose him now after everything that we’ve been through, how hard we have fought to be together.

Nightwing comes to a stop, leaning over the ledge of the rooftop. “There,” he says, pointing to a small building. “Let me go first.”

“I’m fine,” I insist.

“I know,” he tells me, but I also know he doesn’t believe me. “Just please…let me go first.”

“Fine,” I relent, knowing that he wants to make sure that Bruce isn’t lying dead in there before letting me enter. It causes a tremble of fear to ripple through me, starting in my stomach and rising up to settle in my chest.

Drawing a deep breath, I follow him down, allowing him to lead but still staying close to him like a second shadow. He stays in the darkness, keeping our presence hidden for as long as possible. I can’t help but notice he moves just like Bruce does when in uniform. It makes me miss him even more if it’s possible.

He pauses at the corner sitting diagonally from the small building. It looks ramshackled to say the least, destined to be torn down or blown down if a bad enough storm comes through. I know Bruce keeps it looking this way to remain as inconspicuous as possible and to not draw any unwanted attention. 

Words like “stay out” and “condemned” are spray painted across the front of it, the windows boarded up with thick wood that keeps prying eyes out. The longer I study it the more I realize just how well it’s been fortified. It’s actually pretty reinforced, far more foreboding than it appeared at first glance.

It causes a soft smile to flit across my face. It’s so Bruce through and through.

Nightwing silently motions for me to follow him before jogging over to the front of the building. He carefully looks around before pulling out a device that he waves in front of a small steel plate that I hadn’t noticed until this moment.

He puts the device away before trying the door handle which turns with ease. He slowly pushes the door open, what little light we have in the alley flooding the small building. He enters first, holding his hand up at me and telling me to wait.

It’s next to unbearable, each second that passes feeling like an eternity. I place my hand on the doorframe, my fingers curling around as desperation seeps through every fiber of my being. I swear if he doesn’t let me enter soon I’ll tear through here like a woman possessed.

His posture relaxes and he signals me to enter. I release the breath that I hadn’t realized that I’d been holding until that moment, closing the door behind me. “He’s not here,” he informs me, his disappointment palpable and shared.

“Superman to Wonder Woman.”

“I’m here Kal,” I respond to the familiar voice that fills my ear.

“Nothing at the hideout on the north side,” he reveals.

“Any indication that he’s been there recently?” I ask.

“Nothing,” he replies. “It looks like no one has been here for quite some time.”

“He’s not at this one either,” I tell him.

“Don’t worry, Di. We’ll find him,” he attempts to reassure me but I’m afraid it’s falling on deaf ears. It’s next to impossible not to worry at this point. It’s as if the man I love has just disappeared off the face of the earth.

“Maybe Robin has had better luck,” I try my best to sound optimistic, but it falls flat.

“I just got a call from the Watchtower,” Superman says. “I’m needed back in Metropolis.”

“It’s okay,” I assure him. “Go take care of your city. We’ll keep looking for him.”

“Keep me updated,” he requests. “I’ll check in with you when I’m done. Superman out.”

“Nothing?” Nightwing asks as he turns to look at me. I realize it’s not me that he’s talking to, but Robin. “Okay, move on to the one on the south side.”

“He didn’t find anything either?” I ask with a weary sigh.

Nightwing shakes his head no. “It doesn’t look as though he’d been there for some time.”

“That’s what Superman said about the other one,” I inform him. “He’s been called back to Metropolis.”

“Three hideouts checked out and three more to go,” he comments as he looks around the hideout. “Robin is going to check the one on the south side of the city. We’ll take the other two.”

“Let just look around for a moment,” I suggest as I begin to roam around the large room. “I just want to make sure we aren’t missing anything that he might have left behind as a clue.”

He agrees, starting on one side of the room while I begin my search, taking note of everything. It’s utilitarian in design and décor. Just the basics are here—a single bed, a small table and chair, a sparse kitchen. It’s so Bruce in every way.

I make my way to a cabinet, opening it to find it fully stocked with everything from blankets to bandages, antiseptic to antibiotics. Even the things in the cupboard are very basic, but well organized by need. Blankets are a simple gray in color, antibiotics stocked in alphabetical order, gauze organized by size, sutures and needles in ready reach for immediate use.

I bite at my bottom lip, not wanting to think about the state Bruce is in right now, knowing that I can’t get to him at that moment. For all I know, he could be anywhere in the world by now, hidden far beyond my reach or dumped somewhere I’ll never find him.

A strangled gasp sticks in my throat as I think about him. I close the cabinet before moving on to another cabinet. Opening it, I find an endless supply of gadgets of every use and size. Grenades and batarangs, grappling guns and smoke bombs are organized in bins, waiting to be used at a moment’s notice.

I shake my head in amazement and yet I know that I really shouldn’t be astounded by it. The man is ridiculously meticulous in every single aspect of his life not to mention paranoid beyond belief. The fact that he has six hideouts strategically placed through Gotham that are fully stocked like a small bomb shelter shouldn’t generate much surprise.

I close the cabinet, moving on to the small kitchen. I open the refrigerator door to find it stocked with countless bottles of water. The freezer contains a few microwaveable meals and some ice packs, but nothing more.

I turn my attention to the cupboards, rifling through packets of freezer dried food like what I’ve heard the military uses. The fact that he has so many actually brings me a small measure of relief. If he is hurt and able to get to one of his hideouts, I know he can survive very well here for a few weeks if needed.

“Well, it looks like he was here about three weeks ago,” Nightwing announces, causing me to whip around to see what he has found.

“What did you find?” I ask as I quickly cross the room.

Nightwing is standing before a makeshift workstation. There’s a laptop as well as several security devices that I’d seen before down in the Batcave. I’m not sure what all of this equipment is for, but I can guess. It would make sense that whatever Bruce has down in the Batcave a smaller version would be here as well.

Nightwing holds up a newspaper, holding it out to me. “It’s dated for March 21st.”

I take it in my hands, my eyes falling on the headline. “Lex Luthor in ICU after battle with Justice League.”

It was the day after I had put Lex Luthor in the ICU, the day after I had almost completely lost it. Bruce had been forced to pull me off Luthor, keeping me from crossing a line that I’d never be able to return from. It wasn’t long after the incident with Luthor and the accident in New Jersey that the Founders put me on inactive duty.

I swallow hard, knowing how hard it had to have been for Bruce and the other to do that. I still feel a knot of resentment coiled tightly in my belly, but I also realize now that they were only doing what they felt was best for me. They couldn’t risk me being out there on missions, unable to control the rage that courses through my veins.

I can feel Nightwing’s eyes on me, boring into me and trying to figure out what I’m thinking at that moment. “Did you find anything else?” I ask.

“No…nothing else,” he replies.

“And you haven’t noticed anything missing that should be here?” I question him even though I know he’d immediately recognize something like that. He had been trained by Bruce after all.

“No,” he says. “He probably came by here to pick up a few more weapons or he might have needed the computer to do some research on a clue he’s uncovered.”

“Let’s get going,” I state, squaring my shoulders and reminding myself again that Bruce is strong and intelligent. He won’t go down easily.

“This is Nightwing,” Dick says, pausing in his tracks. “What have you got, Oracle?”

Nightwing stares at me as he listens to whatever she’s telling him, his expression darkening. It causes a cold chill to shiver up my spine, my breath catching in my throat as I’m forced to wait for whatever information he’s being given.

“Okay…thanks, Oracle,” he finally replies after several long moments. “Nightwing out.”

“What is it?” I manage to ask, my voice hoarse.

“Body just turned up in Gotham Harbor,” he grimly informs me. “It’s Michael Kozak.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WHAT?!? What is going on here?? Bruce is missing, Kozak is dead, and Declan might be involved in all of this? Lots more twists and turns coming up!
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana's visit to Declan affects her far more than she could have imagined. In the present, Nightwing and Nemesis investigate Kozak's death and check out another one of Bruce's hide-outs. Will it reveal the information they need? :)


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

_**Watchtower; January 23rd, 14:54 EST** _

_The sound of screaming wakes me out of my sleep. I lunge forward in my bed, realizing that the screams were my own. My breathing is ragged as I quickly look around the room only to remember that I’m in my new quarters on the Watchtower._

_I had returned from a mission in India, deciding to lie down for just a few minutes before this afternoon’s Founders’ meeting. Sleep has become a luxury not meant for me the last several months. Nightmares continue to haunt my sleep. They’ve been getting worse ever since going with Bruce to see Declan._

_He’d tried valiantly to keep me from going with him that night, but I had fought him hard on it. In the end, I had won the fight, but Bruce had been right all along. I had hoped that it would help, but unfortunately it has only made things worse._

_I lean forward, my fingers tunneling through my hair. I grip the strands tightly, fighting the urge to pull it out. I don’t know how much longer than I can handle all of this. I just want my life back. I want everything to be like it was before._

_Sometimes I wonder if I should have done things differently, should have fought back harder and revealed who I really was. Then, I wouldn’t be constantly wrestling with these inescapable demons living inside of me threatening to steal my sanity._

_Callahan and MacCaffrey follow me into my dreams every night, reminding me how I had been stripped of my powers and all sense of control, robbing me of my dignity and self-respect. I can still feel their hands and mouths on my body. It makes me nauseated…makes my skin crawl. Scratching my arms incessantly in an effort to erase their unseen fingerprints from my body has done little to stop it._

_My mother’s voice fills my mind at any given moment, telling me how I’ve failed her and my sisters. Memories of my past arise out of nowhere, assaulting me and reminding me what a disgrace I am. I’m supposed to be strong at all times, burying all of this pain and rage and never letting it show like I have been._

_Bruce’s eyes are filled with so much worry and heartache every time he looks at me. It’s like a stab to my heart, reminding me all over again how much all of this has affected him as well. I’m trying so hard to not let my emotions show in order to protect him, but he knows. He always knows._

_My teammates still act like I’m going to break at any moment—either break down or break the Watchtower. They tiptoe around me, almost afraid of talking to me about anything. They’re worried they’ll say the wrong thing, reminding me of the trauma of my abduction. Little do they know it’s always right there with me like a second skin that I can’t begin to shed._

_I feel such overwhelming shame, such disgrace. Despite protecting Bruce with my actions, I feel as though I’m such a failure. Bruce has been by my side through it all, trying so hard not to push me into talking to him about it, but I know that it’s wearing on him and our relationship._

_Releasing my hair, I glance at the clock, stunned to find that it’s well after five. I leap from my bed, running into the bathroom for a quick shower. Changing into a clean uniform, I return to the bathroom to quickly run a brush through my hair._

_I glance at the woman staring back at me in the mirror, somewhat taken aback by what I find. Dark shadows beneath my eyes reveal the fact that I haven’t been sleeping well, the lack of weight gain since I was taken showing that I’m still not eating well. There’s a skeleton staring back at me._

_I know that Bruce and Alfred have noticed it. I overheard them talking about me in the cave the other day. Bruce has been growing more worried about me with every passing day, Alfred trying his best to console him. I know I need to do better, try harder to bury the pain for my mother and sisters, for my teammates but most of all for Bruce._

_I exit my quarters, quickly making my way to the conference room. I know that they’ll be worried that I’m so late. It’s not like me. I’m usually one of the first ones there unless I’m on a mission, but I’d returned from the mission in India over two hours ago._

_I enter the conference room, all heads turning to look at me. I see Batman release an almost imperceptible sigh of relief, his body relaxing slightly. Kal’s face brightens, but his eyes reveal his worry as I take my seat beside Bruce._

_“Diana,” Kal greets me. “We were just about to contact you. Everything all right?”_

_“Yes, sorry…I..I just overslept,” I feebly reply, looking down and realizing that I had forgotten my tablet with all my notes for the meeting._

_“Here, Princess,” Batman softly says, sliding his tablet over towards me so I can see the notes._

_“I’m sorry,” I whisper, embarrassed by my forgetfulness._

_“Don’t be,” he replies, reminding me of our kiss in the Indian restaurant during the Thanagarian invasion. It’s become our way of saying that everything is all right, but I know that it’s far from it so we just go on pretending that it is._

_“Okay, where were we?” Superman says. “I think we were talking about how the new recruits are adjusting. Does anyone have anything to share about how they’re doing?”_

_Green Lantern dives into a lengthy tale about how well Vixen had done on a recent mission that they had been on together. I can tell by the look on his face as he talks about her that he’s falling for the supermodel. I’m happy for him that he’s moving on with his life now that Shayera is gone._

_Flash shares next about a mission in Central City that Fire and Ice had assisted him on. By the way he keeps talking more about Fire than Ice; it’s obvious that he’s quite smitten with the fiery green haired woman. Of course with Flash, he’ll probably be on to the next woman before the week is out._

_The meeting drones on for what feels like forever. I’m having a hard time focusing, finding it difficult to contribute anything at this point despite the fact Bruce is sharing his notes with me. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that are running out of control._

_It feels like everyone’s eyes are on me, watching to see if I’m going to fall apart. It causes my rage to burn hotter. I just want everyone to treat me like they used to, not to look at me like I’m some broken piece of pottery that can’t be put back together._

_I can feel Bruce growing tense next to me. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, noticing the way he seems to be lost in thought. I immediately look at J’onn, seeing the way the Martian Manhunter’s eyes are glowing orange. It means one thing._

_Bruce and J’onn are having a telepathic conversation and it’s about me…again._

_My fingers wrap around the armrests of my chair, trying to stay in control of my rising anger that threatens to choke me. I feel the demons that darken my soul that used to be full of such light rearing their ugly heads, but I won’t let them. I am an Amazon._

_“Again, Diana,” Phillipus orders me. “You are an Amazon. Never forget that.”_

_“How could I?” I grind out with a swing of my sword. “Everyone reminds me of that fact on a daily basis.”_

_“We are training you…molding you to be the future queen,” Phillipus reminds me. “You cannot lead us if you are not strong enough to handle the worst that life can throw at you.”_

_I pause, breathing hard as I glare at Phillipus with all the anger a fourteen year old girl can muster. “What is going to happen here?” I spread out my hand to my surroundings. “We’re on an island protected by magic. No one can find us. Besides that, we’re immortal. Nothing is going to happen to my mother. We’re all going to live together forever.”_

_A sneer forms on Phillipus’s face as she renews her attack, forcing me to lift my sword at the last second or risk a severed limb. “You never know when or where danger lurks,” she spits out the words. “Do you not remember the stories of Hercules from your studies, little princess?”_

_I rapidly retaliate, wielding my sword to the best of my abilities against the best trained Amazon on the island. She quickly pushes me back with her attack, my breathing growing ragged as sweat trickles down my spine. I grit my teeth in anger as the tip of her blade slices through my upper arm._

_I glower at her as I drop my sword and place my hand over the deep cut, ignoring the blood that is dripping down my arm. Phillipus immediately sheaths her sword, moving closer to me to check my wound. I angrily turn away from her, fighting back tears._

_“No tears, little princess,” Phillipus admonishes me, pulling my hand away from my arm. “Amazons do not cry. We fight…we conquer...we prevail. We are warriors first and women second.”_

_She tears off the bottom of my tunic, wrapping it around my arm to stop the bleeding. I bite my bottom lip to keep from crying. I’m more angry with myself for not blocking her strike than because of the actual pain, but it doesn’t matter though. Tears are tears and they are considered un-Amazon-like no matter the reason._

_The feel of Phillipus’s hand against my cheek takes me by surprise, forcing me to raise my head and meet her eyes. I’m stunned to find a gentleness there that I’ve never seen before. “I know how hard it must be for you, little princess,” she softly says. “Everyone is always pushing you, training you to be better than everyone else. It’s only because we care about you, Diana. You are next in line to lead our people should anything happen to your mother. You must be the best Amazon warrior you can be…the strongest of us all.”_

_I can’t help but feel as though she knew more than what she was telling me at the time. Later that evening, I’d overheard Phillipus and my mother talking. My mother told her I can’t know that Hera came to her in a dream, informing her that I was destined for great things…to become the Champion of the Gods one day._

_I’d pushed myself harder after that night, throwing myself fully into my studies and my training. I constantly reminded myself that I was an Amazon and nothing could ever take that away from me. Even now, I repeat the words over and over again in my mind, trying to remember my heritage instead of everything those two animals stole from me._

_An unexpected hand on my thigh brings me back to the conference room. I glance over at Bruce to see a frown on his face as he gently rubs my thigh as if trying to soothe me. It’s then that I realize that I’d been breathing hard, my fingernails digging into the armrests._

_Thankfully, the other Founders were too focused on the view screen, watching a video that Kal had wanted us all to watch about teamwork. I release the hold on the arm of my chair, slipping it under the desk and reaching for his hand._

_He thankfully takes it, holding it tightly in an attempt to channel his strength to me. I squeeze his hand in gratitude before abruptly releasing it. I shouldn’t need to rely on anyone else. I should be strong enough to deal with all of this on my own._

_The video finishes, Kal dismissing us and I’m up and out of my chair before the words are out of his mouth. I want to escape this room, to escape before Bruce can corner me about why I was late or why I was on the verge of losing it during the meeting._

_I’m down the hall and around the corner before Bruce can catch up to me. He falls in step beside me as I make my way back to my quarters. He doesn’t say a word, doesn’t try to touch me as I punch in the code and my door slides open._

_He follows me inside much to my dismay and I know he’s not going to leave without an explanation. I walk to the viewport window, folding my arms against my chest as I stare out into space. Several moments pass as he patiently waits for me to speak._

_Unable to bear the tense silence a moment longer, I turn around to find him sitting on the edge of my bed that’s been practically torn to shreds. His cowl and gauntlets are off, lying beside him on the bed. He’s watching me with eyes filled with frustration and hurt and I know that I can hardly blame him._

_“What’s going on, Diana?” he asks._

_“I overslept,” I reply._

_“You had another nightmare,” he comments, glancing at my nearly destroyed bed._

_“It’s nothing, Bruce,” I try to brush it off. “I’ll pay to replace the sheets.”_

_“I don’t give a damn about the sheets, Diana,” he states, his tone razor-sharp, his blue piercing. “I care about you. You’re obviously still struggling with what happened to you.”_

_“It’s getting better,” I insist._

_“No, it’s not,” he says, releasing a frustrated breath. “J’onn told me they’re getting worse.”_

_My arms drop to my sides as I stare at him with mounting anger. “You and J’onn can stop discussing me behind my back,” I snap. “I know you were talking telepathically about me during the meeting. I’m perfectly fine.”_

_Bruce stands to his feet, slowly making his way to me. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s not going to back down on this. I can also tell he wants to touch me, but he holds himself back. “Diana, I want to believe you more than anything…but I can’t,” he tells me. “You’re not fine. Seeing Declan made it worse, didn’t it?”_

_“Just…lately, but it’ll get better,” I promise him. “Working on this case with you in Gotham with the missing girls will help. I know if I can help find them I’ll finally be able to move past all of this.”_

_“I wish you would just talk to me,” he pleads._

_“I can’t…” I murmur, closing my eyes under his penetrating gaze. “Please…don’t ask me to.”_

_A couple of moments pass before I feel strong arms enveloping me, wrapping me up in a protective embrace that I know I don’t deserve. He pulls me in until I’m completely cocooned in his arms and cape, his head coming down to rest on top of mine. This is my favorite place to be in the world._

_“Please, Princess,” he softly says. “Promise me that you’ll try to talk to someone…even if you feel you can’t talk to me, please talk to someone. Talk to J’onn or Donna…even Alfred. Just don’t keep it bottled up inside of you. It’ll only end up destroying you and I need you with me.”_

_It startles me that he is voicing his need to me. He’s not one to really talk about his feelings especially when it comes to needing someone. He never wants to appear vulnerable or in need of anyone in his life. The fact that he has said it speaks volumes, making my chest clench tightly._

_“I will…I promise,” I murmur against his chest. “I just need a little more time.”_

_It hurts me that he feels that I don’t want to talk to him about what happened to me. If he only understood that I don’t want to talk to anyone about this. That’s not the way that I was raised. Besides, talking about it won’t make it go away. It’ll only resurrect memories that I’m trying so desperately to escape._

_A feel him press a kiss to the top of my head as he rubs my back. “I need to go,” he tells me._

_“I know,” I reply, not ready to let go of him yet. I tighten my hold on him, burying my face in the crook of his neck in hopes of changing his mind. “I’m just not ready to let you go yet.”_

_He groans softly as I brush my lips against his jaw, trying to tempt him into staying a little longer. “You’re definitely not making it any easier to leave.”_

_“I was hoping you’d say that,” I whisper against his ear, taking the lobe between my teeth and sucking._

_He gasps sharply, turning and dipping his head to capture my lips with his. He kisses me with a greediness that makes my head spin as lack of oxygen begins to make my lungs burn. He retreats with a gasp before placing a gentle kiss on my lips._

_“I really have to go now before I do something I shouldn’t,” he rasps and I feel the rumble in his chest._

_“You’re the only one who thinks you shouldn’t,” I point out with a frown as I reluctantly release my hold on him._

_“Talk to someone…prove to me that you’re dealing with this,” he challenges me, knowing that targeting the warrior in me will accomplish far more._

_I scowl at him as he leans in and kisses me on the forehead before turning to leave. “See you at home,” he says, giving me one last look before he leaves._

_I cross my arms over my chest, my anger returning despite the brief reprieve his presence had brought me. He’s the only thing holding me together right now, the calming eye in the center of my fierce hurricane and I know I’d be completely lost without him._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 10th, 02:15 EST_ **

Approaching the Gotham docks, we are greeted by five GCPD cars all with lights flashing as well as an ambulance which seems like a moot point now. Michael Kozak is dead and so is our possible lead to finding Bruce and the missing girls.

My heart feels like it’s in my boots as I exit the Batmobile. Dick and I haven’t spoken since leaving Bruce’s hideout, neither of us wanting to think about the consequences of this murder. I’m still trying to regain some semblance of control over the panic that still shudders through me from Dick telling me a body had been found.

My first thoughts had been of Bruce. Even the revelation of it being Kozak had done little to diminish the trembling that had settled in my legs making it more than difficult to put one foot in front of the other. I remind myself that Bruce is a warrior like me and will fight with his last breath.

I follow Nightwing to the crime scene, police officers parting like a sea to allow us a clear path to the body lying under a bright yellow tarp. I quickly look for Commissioner Gordon, but do not see him here yet. A large, rather heavyset man with a toothpick in his mouth and wearing a hat comes to stand beside Nightwing, a scowl on his face.

“Look, Bird Boy,” he crossly grumbles. “We got this covered. No need to be poking your noses in this.”

“He’s a suspect in the Gotham University kidnappings which makes him our business, Harvey,” Nightwing firmly states, refusing to back down.

“And who’s she suppose to be?” this Harvey demands to know, nodding at me and looking me up and down as if I was some prize to be won. “Let me guess…Bird girl?”

“Nemesis,” I state with an angry glower, folding my arms against my chest and daring him to make some asinine comment. I’d love nothing more than to pound some sense into a man who obviously has so very little.

He takes a step back, nodding his head as he continues to appraise me. “Nemesis,” he repeats. “I’m Detective Harvey Bullock. I’ll give you two five minutes and then we’re taking this dude to the morgue.”

Nightwing is already crouching down, pulling back the yellow tarp. “How was he found?”

“He got caught in a boat prop,” Harvey reveals as I kneel down beside Nightwing to inspect the body.

I immediately notice how bloated the body is, water-logged from being in Gotham Harbor for so long. There’s a thick chain shackled around his ankles, telling us that he wasn’t meant to be found. The chain had probably been attached to concrete blocks or something like it. The reason I know this is from the countless hours I spent reviewing Bruce’s old cases in an effort to learn more about Gotham and how Bruce works.

Nightwing pulls the sleeve up on the body’s arm, revealing deep bruising and cuts. He’d likely been restrained before being killed. Opening his shirt reveals massive bruising indicating repeated blows by fists or some sort of weapon.

There are several gashes across his face and body, but I’m not sure what caused it. “What do you think this is from?” I quietly ask Nightwing.

“Boat prop more than likely,” he reveals, pointing at the long cuts. “This is from the blades cutting across the body. Something caused the chains to become unhooked from whatever was supposed to keep him underwater. I have a feeling he wasn’t supposed to surface any time soon if at all.”

“Cause of death?”

“Won’t know for sure until the autopsy, but it’s more than likely internal bleeding,” Nightwing tells me as he begins searching the pockets of the dead man. “He took one helluva beating. He screwed something up big time and it cost him his life.”

“We need to go back and re-review everything we have on him,” I reply, disappointed Dick hasn’t found anything more that could help us. “He’s in this somehow. I just know it.”

“I agree,” he states. “We need to continue our search now, but then we can go back and check Kozak’s apartment again.”

Nightwing gets to his feet, his hand finding my elbow as he leads me back towards the Batmobile. “See ya later, Nemesis,” Harvey calls to me. “Hope we get to work together again real soon.”

“Bye, Harv,” Nightwing yells back, earning a grumbled curse.

“What is it?” I whisper, sensing that Dick learned something that I hadn’t picked up on.

We stop beside the Batmobile, his expression grim. “The way Kozak was beaten, strung up with chains, and thrown in Gotham Harbor reeks of a mafia hit,” he reveals. “It’s a classic kill.”

“So Declan could be involved in this?” I question him, my hands balling into fists.

“If not Declan, then more than likely the Irish Mafia,” Dick suggests. “If I were a betting man, I’d wager that Michael Kozak was working for whoever is head of the Irish Mafia now.”

“He was probably the one who was scouting for girls,” I respond as some of the pieces begin to fall neatly into place. “I just can’t help wondering what he did that got himself killed.”

“I don’t know, but we need to keep looking for Batman,” he says. “We need to head to the East End to check out his other hideout.”

“I wish Tim would check in,” I mutter, more to myself than to my partner as I buckle up.

“He’ll call us as soon as he checks out the other hideout,” he reassures me as we speed away.

“You know I doubt that Kozak was the only one scouting students on the Gotham University campus,” I thoughtfully reveal. “He worked the night shift when many students were in their dorms for the night or off campus. There has to be at least one maybe two or three more.”

“I agree,” he replies with a nod, a smile forming on his lips.

“What?” I ask, noticing his grin.

“You have definitely been spending a lot of time with Bruce,” he comments, his voice filling with warmth. “He’s got you thinking like a detective already.”

I can’t help but smile as well, remembering how much time Bruce and I had spent together over the last year. He’s definitely had an influence on me, teaching me everything he knows and drawing us closer. I never thought in a million years that I’d ever come to trust a man so wholly, so completely since coming to Man’s World and yet there is absolutely no one I trust more in this world than him. 

It’s not that I’ve come to depend on him in a way that makes me weak or needy. Instead, I find that it’s only been making me stronger in an unexpected way, finding an equal…a partner in life that I hadn’t realized that I needed or even wanted. Now, I can’t imagine my life without him.

I draw a shuddering breath as I think about him, picturing his handsome face in my mind’s eye. I miss him so much it hurts. Sometimes I think I’ll never be able to fully breathe again until he’s back with me. I miss being enveloped in his arms and his cape, being held in his strong embrace. It’s my favorite place to be.

Before I realize it, Nightwing is turning the engine off, drawing me out of my thoughts. I steel myself as we begin the trek towards the hideout, following a similar pattern as we did with the last one. After several blocks, we near a small abandoned store, one that appears to be in about the same condition as the last one.

Staying close to the shadows, we silently approach, two shadows shifting in the dark cover of night. A dog begins to bark in the distance causing me to momentarily stop in my tracks. I release a breath before continuing, hearing the sound of tires screeching and a motor roaring. We both freeze this time, waiting and listening as the car speeds away.

“Come on,” he whispers as we approach the back door. “Stay out here until I make sure it’s clear.”

“I’m fully capable of taking care of myself,” I grind out the words, my patience wearing paper thin by now. It’s been a nerve-wracking night to say the least.

“I know you can, but please trust me on this,” he pleads with me.

“Fine,” I relent with a scowl. “You’ve got thirty seconds—no more. Then, I’m coming in.”

“Man, and I thought Donna was stubborn,” he mutters under his breath as he produces a small device out of nowhere, blocking my view as he unlocks the door and disables the security.

I force myself to stay just outside the doorway while he enters, silently counting down until I can enter and still keep my promise at the same time. I grit my teeth, images of Kozak’s body filling my mind and taunting me with what could be happening to Bruce right now.

Refusing to wait a moment longer, I enter the dimly lit back room, finding it furnished almost identical to the last hideout we checked out. Unfortunately, this one is just as empty as the last one, no sign of Bruce anywhere. I feel my heart breaking all over again as my eyes sweeping across the room.

Nightwing disappears down a hallway to check out the rest of the abandoned store. I begin searching the large room, something in a corner by the cabinets catching my eye. I immediately make my way over to it, kneeling down to find a pile of bloody gauzes and bandages.

“Nightwing!” I yell, my heart nearly stopping altogether as I pick up one of the gauzes.

I hear his footsteps racing towards me. He kneels down beside me, examining my discovery. He curses under his breath as he sorts through the pile of gauzes. “It looks like he lost quite a bit of blood, but it doesn’t appear to be life-threatening,” he decides.

It does little to settle my panic as I quickly go to the cabinet, flinging open the doors. The supplies are scattered instead of neatly organized, many of the bandages missing. My chin falls to my chest as fear grips me all over again.

That’s when I notice the moderate sized pool of blood at my feet. I immediately drop to my knees, running a finger through it to find it completely dry. It’s been a couple of days since he was last here, probably the last time that he contacted me.

Two days. It’s been two days since I heard from him and yet it feels like weeks. He’s out there somewhere injured and I have no idea how to get to him or how to help him. I turn my attention to Dick who is treating the gauze like evidence, using tweezers to put it into an evidence bag. It makes my blood turn to ice water in my veins.

“What are you doing?” I angrily hiss.

“We need to have this tested to make sure it’s Bruce’s blood and not someone else that he might have brought here,” he calmly tells me as he stands to his feet.

“You’re treating him as if he’s dead…as if he’s a case,” I accuse, my panic filling my voice.

“Diana, I’m doing exactly what Bruce would do if I was the one missing,” he replies. “Right now, we need to treat him as if he is a case. It’s the only way to find him.”

I turn my back to him, fighting to regain control over my emotions once more. It’s difficult trying to remain calm and in control when all I want to do is lose control, to tear through Gotham and find him, but I know that I can’t. Dick is right. We need to do this the right way or we may never find him.

I turn to find him heading towards the laptop sitting on a desk. He opens it up and starts typing, entering security codes and pulling up files. I make my way to him, coming to stand behind him to see what he is able to find so far. Hopefully with any luck, Bruce left us a clue.

“It looks like his last transmission was to the cave on April eighth,” he absentmindedly informs me as he continues typing at a furious pace. “That was the last time you talked to him, right?”

“Yes,” I softly say, replaying that conversation in my mind. 

He ended the transmission before I could tell him how I love him too and that I wanted him to come back safely to me. He has yet to hear those three words from me yet…might never hear them if we don’t find him soon. I push that thought away, not wanting to focus on it.

“It looks like he was looking into Michael Kozak again…at least that’s the file that he had up,” he reveals.

“Anything else?”

“Not much,” he mutters. “There are some more files on Declan MacCaffrey…a file on Jason Trask he was reviewing for some reason.”

“Jason is back,” I inform him. “He’s going to be prosecuting my case.”

“Well, that explains that,” he readily decides. “There’s not…whoa. What do we have here?”

“What is it?” I nearly growl the question, noticing how infuriatingly similar to Bruce he is when it comes to doling out information.

“It looks like Bruce was looking into a guy by the name of Scott St. James,” he tells me.

“I don’t remember ever seeing that name in any of the files that Bruce has accumulated on the case so far,” I reply.

“Yah…me either,” he agrees. “St. James appears to work in the DA’s office under Jason Trask.”

“Jason?”

“Yes, and there’s more,” he says. “Scott St. James is the nephew of none other than Declan MacCaffrey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WOW!! Lots of twists and turns in this update! I can't wait for you all to see where this is heading.
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana goes on a dangerous mission. In the present, Diana pays Jason Trask a visit in order to find out more about Scott St. James.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

_**Texas, February 1st, 16:20 EST** _

_I can see the black plumes of smoke filling the distant sky as I fly as fast as I can. A call came in from the Watchtower for any Leaguer near Dallas that could respond to a massive fire that was spreading quickly though a research lab. Fortunately, I was the closest, allowing me to arrive within minutes._

_“I’m on scene,” I report back to the Watchtower, an explosion trying to push me back._

_“Copy that Wonder Woman,” Mister Terrific responds. “Back up is still about fifteen minutes away.”_

_“That’s all right,” I reply. “I can handle it alone until they come.”_

_“Wondy,” Flash’s voice fills my ear. “I’ll be there in ten. I’ll make a run through the building to make sure it’s clear.”_

_“I can handle it, Flash,” I tell him, annoyed that he clearly feels that I can’t do my job._

_“Diana, it’s too dangerous,” Batman’s voice cuts in next from the Watchtower. “I’m picking up rising thermal readings in the main lab. You need to stay back until Flash arrives.”_

_“I’m about ten minutes out too,” Superman adds. “I can freeze the fire and cool it down so we can get the rest of those people out.”_

_“Diana, do you copy?” Batman’s voice is filled with urgency and something more that I can’t think about right now as I circle the burning building._

_“I’m not going to just stand here and do nothing while people are possibly dying in there,” I ground out._

_“Diana!” Superman and Batman both bark my name at the same time._

_“Flash, get there now!” Bruce angrily orders him._

_I turn off my commlink, refusing to listen any longer to them treating me like some helpless child who can’t take care of herself or anyone else. I am an Amazon warrior. I do not need to be coddled or treated as incompetent because of what had happened to me. I’ve dealt with it and I’ve moved on, but everyone else can’t seem to move past viewing me as some victim._

_I immediately fly straight through an open window into an inferno, praying to Athena and Artemis for help in finding anyone still trapped inside here. The smoke burns my eyes and my throat, making it difficult to see where I’m going. Flames lick at me in an attempt to force me into succumbing to the raging blaze, but I dodge them as best I can._

_The longer I’m in here, the hotter it’s becoming. Sweat begins to trickle into my eyes, my hair clinging to my skin like a wet blanket. I begin to cough, the smoke nearly choking me. I can feel the burn on my skin as it invades my lungs. I try to call out to see if anyone is still in here, but I can’t make my voice work. It’s hoarse and dry, my breathing labored and ragged, but I refuse to give up._

_I fly lower, narrowly avoiding a piece of the ceiling as concrete crumbles down around me. A piece of metal slams into my shoulder, but I push on. The sounds of the fire crackling and popping…the building creaking and shuddering on its foundation surround me, but I’m able to make out the screams for help._

_Concrete and metal abruptly falls from above, landing right in front of me and blocking my path. I curse under my breath, coughing and choking on the smoke. I have to find another way around it. Turning in circles, I find that I’m completely trapped. I know that these people aren’t going to be able to last much longer and, for that matter, neither am I._

_It’s getting harder and harder to breathe, my lungs feeling as though they’re on fire as well. My fingers curl into a fist before I slam it into a nearby wall, creating a massive crater. It’s deep, but not yet deep enough to get through. I slam my fist into it a couple more times, the wall finally giving way._

_I swiftly fly through it, losing all track of time or my location inside of the building. The smoke and flames are disorienting me, but I need to get these people out. Their voices are growing weaker and I know they’re rapidly running out of time._

_I find a sealed door, ripping it off its hinges and finding five people trapped inside. They’re huddled in the far corner, eyes wide with horror. “It’s all right,” I reassure them. “I’ll get you out of here.”_

_Flash appears out of nowhere, racing in before I can take one step inside. While I’m thankful for the extra help to get these people out of here, I’m equally irritated that he’s here already. I have everything under control. I don’t need anyone’s assistance or protection._

_The scarlet speedster is out the door with two people in tow as I help a woman to her feet. He’s back inside grabbing the other two as I carry the woman out. I cradle her in my arms, careful to keep the smoke and flames from reaching her as I fly for an opening on the far side of the building._

_I stifle a gasp as the flames lick at my back and legs, pushing myself harder. I fly through the hole in the side of the building, taking her towards a waiting ambulance. I gently lay her down on a gurney as she coughs, attempting to suck in some much needed oxygen._

_“You’re safe now,” I reassure her._

_“Thank you, Wonder Woman,” she replies, clutching my hands._

_I immediately start to head back inside only to find a very angry Kryptonian standing in my path. “Stay here,” he orders me before turning and flying straight into the building that is about to collapse at any moment._

_Flash comes out with two more people, neither of them is moving and I can’t help fearing the worse. I quickly set about helping the fire crews as best as I can, ignoring the way my skin feels as though its blistered and scorched beyond my imagine and I know that I’m going to hear about it from Bruce when I return to the Watchtower._

_It’s a part of the job…a necessary risk that we take every single time we step foot into any given situation. I’ve come out of more fights, more rescue efforts with plenty of injuries over the years since coming to Man’s World. They always heal on their own, the majority of them gone within two or three days. For me, it’s a badge of honor and courage. For Bruce, it insights worry and panic._

_I guess it’s the difference of being raised on a magical island as a warrior. Bruce has many scars on his back and chest that are a constant reminder of how some form of evil tried to take him down only for him to rise again, stronger than ever before. He sees them as hideous reminders of the evil that he has been forced to battle in an effort to protect his city. I see them as beautiful, signs of a true warrior with a heart to match._

_Glancing over my shoulder at the burns on my back, Bruce is mostly definitely going to be furious. I’m beginning to think it might be better if I avoid the Watchtower and Bruce for the time being. Maybe I could sneak into the Batcave and have Alfred look at them._

_Flash abruptly stops right beside me, his expression grim. “We got everyone out,” he announces, glancing at me. “Uh, Wondy…your back is fried. You need to get to the infirmary right away.”_

_“I’m fine,” I tightly reply, still angered by everyone fussing over me as if I’m the weakest link on the Justice League roster. It makes me that much more determined to prove myself to everyone that I can handle all of this._

_Kal flies towards us, his expression severe especially for him. He lands on the ground several feet away, slowly approaching with a look of pure anger blazing in his eyes. Flash seems to notice this too, deciding its best to run now than to be here when the Man of Steel explodes._

_“I’m going to go see if the firefighters need any help,” he announces, taking off before I can even begin to form a response._

_I cross my arms against my chest in a show of defiance, immediately regretting the action. The pull of my burnt skin on my back nearly makes me hiss in pain, but I refuse to appear weak. “What the hell were you thinking?” Superman demands to know._

_I’m instantly taken aback by two things—first, the true extent of Kal’s anger and, second, the fact that he has just sworn at me. It’s not something that typically happens. It’s part of the reason that Bruce always calls him the Boy Scout._

_“What are you talking about?” I innocently respond, refusing to back down._

_“You went straight into a burning building that you knew was on the verge of exploding without backup,” he challenges me. “Batman and I both told you not to go in there, but you went anyway nearly getting yourself killed in the process.”_

_“I am perfectly capable of handling a situation like this,” I fire back. “I’ve been doing this for over two years, Kal. I’m not some rookie fresh off the island. I’m a founding member for Hera’s sake.”_

_“I know you’re not a rookie, Diana, but you and I both know it’s protocol to wait for backup when—”_

_“Protocol?” I yell. “You’re throwing protocol at me?”_

_Kal’s chest is near heaving with the anger that visibly flows through him. “You know that the rules are there for a reason. The Founders wrote and agreed to abide by them. It doesn’t set a very good example for the junior Leaguers if we just fly straight into a deadly situation like that with no backup.”_

_“And just how many times has Batman broken protocol or how about you when Lois has been in danger?” I argue. “There were people in there that needed saving and I got to them.”_

_“You know as well as I do that there are other Leaguer members better equipped to deal with a fire in a medical lab full of explosive chemicals,” he angrily yells back._

_“I was the closest available responder,” I remind him. “Did you honestly believe that I could just sit back and let those people die without trying to help? We risk our lives every single day that we go out there. This time was no different and you know it.”_

_Kal rubs his forehead, clearly not about to agree with anything that I’ve said. I expect this sort of reaction from Bruce, but getting it from Kal has somewhat blindsided me. I’m still not about to back down, prepared to argue with him for as long as it takes for him to understand that I’m capable of doing my job._

_“Look, I know it’s hard for you to sit on the sideline while people are in trouble, but, if you had gotten in trouble and were trapped in there too, it would’ve created an even worse situation,” he points out with far more calmness than I had anticipated. “Diana, we all care about you. We don’t want to see you get hurt or worse.”_

_“I’m fine, Kal,” I insist. “Just some burns that will be gone in a couple of days.”_

_He closes the distance between us, his eyes softening as he gently places a hand on my shoulder. “Diana, it could have been so much worse than that,” he softly says; hurt replacing the anger that had just been there. “You have no idea how irrevocable the damage would be if we ever lost you. The hole you would leave behind would be huge.”_

_“But we do this all the time, Kal,” I remind him. “We take risks every single time we go out. There’s no guarantee that when I go out tomorrow that I’ll be coming home.”_

_“I know that, but it’s also the reason we have protocols in place,” he counters. “We want to minimize that risk as much as possible so everyone that goes out is able to come home.”_

_“I don’t regret what I did,” I stubbornly state._

_He releases a low breath, trying to keep his temper in check. “Look, we’ll talk about this later,” he decides. “Why don’t you go back to the Watchtower and have your burns treated?”_

_“I’m going to go home,” I reply, my hands on my hips. “Alfred can fix me up.”_

_“Probably a wise decision,” Kal agrees. “If Batman sees you right now, he’ll probably go ballistic.”_

_I frown with the reminder, wishing that everyone would stop worrying about me all the time. “I guess it’s a good thing that he and Mister Terrific are stuck fixing the computer system on the Watchtower for the time being,” I say with a weary sigh. “I just wish he wouldn’t worry so much.”_

_“He’ll always worry about you, Diana,” he replies. “Nothing will ever change that. We all love you. It’s going to take a little time for us to get past what happened to you. Be patient with us. You aren’t the only one trying to heal from your abduction.”_

_“I’ll try,” I respond. “Please tell Bruce that I’m fine.”_

_“I’ll do my best, but you know him,” he reminds me. “He won’t be happy until he sees you with his own eyes and its definitely not a pretty sight.”_

_“I know,” I softly say. “I’ll see you later, Kal.”_

_I quickly take to the air, picking up the hissing intake of air as Kal fully notices the extent of the burns on my back. I don’t allow it to slow me down. I fly straight towards Gotham, my mind playing over the events of this afternoon. I know in my heart that I did what I had to do to save lives and I would do it again. If the League doesn’t like it…if Kal and Bruce don’t like it…then that’s their problem._

_I refuse to sit back when innocent lives are in danger, when I know that I can do something to help. How many times has Bruce thrown himself into impossible situations against seemingly insurmountable odds in order save his city? This is no different._

_Of course, trying to convince Bruce of that will be next to impossible. I momentarily close my eyes, knowing that he will be beyond furious with me. It’ll no doubt lead to another heated argument. Things have been a little tense between us already and I know this is only going to add to it._

_He’s been growing frustrated with my lack of willingness to open up to him about what happened to me. I can’t talk to him about it…can’t talk to anyone about it. It’s bad enough that it haunts my sleep and lingers in my veins without having to verbalize it._

_Talking about it only makes it all the more real. It makes me a victim and they the victor and I refuse to allow that to happen. I will find my way back to being me once more no matter how hard I may have to crawl and scrape my way back out of this dark abyss that I find myself in now._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 10th, 09:43 EST_ **

I’m going on no sleep in two days, but it doesn’t really matter. I haven’t slept very well in the last six months anyway. Thankfully, I’m an Amazon gifted by the gods and therefore I’m able to go for periods of time with no sleep, but even this is quickly catching up to me.

I pull into the parking lot outside of the Gotham courthouse, sitting back in my seat as my mind races with scenarios that make me ill if I linger on them too long. Finding Michael Kozak’s body had been disappointing to say the least. He had been our closest lead to these girls, his sudden disappearance confirming our suspicions of his involvement in this case.

Something went terribly wrong, some mistake that had led to his murder. Barbara had contacted me that she had a thought about what it could be, a similarity with another case sparking an idea that she’d never considered before. She promised to get back to me and Dick as soon as she knew more.

Kal checked in with me this morning. I let him know what we’d found at one of Bruce’s hide-outs. He’d spent the next ten minutes trying to reassure me that Bruce never let anything stand in his way of solving a case, not even an injury. I appreciated his efforts, but his words fell on deaf ears.

All I can think about is the bloody scene we found, the countless gauze and bandages…the pool of blood on the floor. Kal didn’t see what I had seen, can’t feel the ice cold fear that continually pumps through my veins. I know that Bruce is strong, but he’s out there alone and now he’s injured too. A man can only take so much.

Drawing a deep breath, I unbuckle my seatbelt, adjusting my glasses and checking my appearance in the rearview mirror before exiting my SUV. I try to organize my thoughts as I walk towards the front of the courthouse, knowing that this isn’t going to be easy, but I need information and Jason Trask is the only one who can help me.

Entering the building, I’m immediately greeted by police officers standing guard. I relinquish my purse before stepping through the body scanner, thankful that I’d remembered to remove my vambraces before leaving the manor this morning.

“You’re clear, Miss Prince,” the police officer tells me as he hands me my purse.

I’m somewhat surprised that he knows who I am, but I guess that I shouldn’t be. Jim Gordon had most of the GCPD combing Gotham for me for five days after I’d been taken. It humbles me that so many of these dedicated men and women were scouring the streets looking for me.

“Thank you,” I reply with a warm smile.

I head towards the elevator that will take me up to Jason’s office, my eyes constantly glancing around me. The very notion that Declan McCaffrey could still be somehow connected to these missing girls makes my blood boil. I would love nothing more than to get my hands on Declan, but I know that I won’t be able to remain in control enough to not to beat him senseless.

The thought that someone is out there doing things to these girls like that monster did to me makes my heart hammer with rage. I feel as though the anger that simmers in my soul is attempting to burn me alive, but I refuse to give in to it.

I have to hold myself together if I’m going to be able to find Bruce. He needs me now more than ever. He never gave up when I had been taken. I won’t fail him now. He and I have barely been together as a couple for six months, haven’t even consummated our relationship yet. We have so much to look forward to together. 

I refuse to give up on him. He told me that he loved me, but I have yet been able to tell him that I love him too. He is not allowed to die on me, not allowed to leave me after telling me that he loves me. I need to hear those words again, need to feel him express that love to me in the most intimate way.

Taking the elevator to the top floor, I step out and immediately turn to my left. I’ve been here a few times to meet with Jason about the drug coalition against Ash, but it’s definitely been a while. The pleasant surprise that had filled Jason’s voice when I had called him this morning had been unmistakable. I don’t want to give him false hope about a chance with me, but I have to find out what I can about Declan and his nephew.

Barbara is already working on finding everything she possibly can about Scott St. James. So far, all we know is that he’s thirty years old, single, and works as an investigative analyst for the Gotham’s DA office. Other than that, we don’t have a lot to go on. Hopefully, she’ll be able to find out just how close Scott is to his Uncle Declan and if St. James’ interests run as deep with the Irish Mafia as Declan’s does.

In the meantime, I’m determined to find out as much as I can on my own.

I didn’t exactly tell Dick where I was going this morning, only that I had something that I needed to take care of. I was worried that if I told him he’d try to talk me out of it. I’m pretty certain Dick and Alfred both know that I’m up to something, but neither said anything to me when I left. 

I wouldn’t be surprised if Dick somehow put a tracer on me so he could keep tabs on me, but I just could not spend another day in the Batcave pouring over files and worrying about what was happening to Bruce. I need to be out here in Gotham doing something.

Coming to stand outside of Jason’s office, I knock on the door, glancing through the glass to see if he’s here. I’m a little early, but I couldn’t wait at the manor any longer. “Can I help you?”

I turn to find a young woman behind me, a pleasant smile on her face. “I have a ten o’clock meeting with Jason Trask.”

“Mister Trask had to run downstairs for a moment,” she informs me. “He should be back in a few minutes.”

“That’s fine,” I respond, taking a seat in a chair outside of his office. “I’m a little early.”

I pull out my cell phone, hoping for a message from Barbara or Dick. I’m still holding out hope that Bruce will somehow manage to get a message to me, letting me know that he’s all right or where he is so that I can get to him. Knowing he’s hurt and I can’t find him is killing me inside.

I can’t help but remember the mission a couple of months ago when I’d gone against protocol into a building that was going up in flames and on the verge of exploding. Not only had I received a lecture from Kal, but I’d been on the receiving end of another scathing lecture from Bruce when he’d returned home from the Watchtower.

He had arrived at the cave not long after Alfred had started to clean the wounds on my back. The anger and hurt that had reflected in Bruce’s eyes is something that still pierces my heart even now. That look spoke more than any words ever could, hurting me far deeper than anything he could have ever said to me. 

I’d been forced to listen about how my actions had endangered others, including my teammates as Bruce had finished bandaging the burns on my back for Alfred. I didn’t even bother trying to argue my point with him, knowing that it was futile. With Kal, I knew I’d have a chance, but not with Bruce when he was this furious.

I just let him get his anger out, not saying a single word in response. In the end, I think it only served to upset him even more because I didn’t fight back or argue like I usually do. It took him off guard, leaving him reeling about my emotional state I’m sure.

He already believes that I’m not dealing with the trauma, not in full control of my emotions. Not fighting back like I always do threw him off balance. _“There is nothing worse than knowing that you’re in danger and I can’t get to you.”_

He said that to me just before leaving the cave, heading out for patrol far earlier than usual without another word to me. He didn’t talk to me for nearly three days after that, avoiding me as he struggled to deal with his frustration and anger with me.

It wasn’t that I was purposefully trying to upset him or make things worse between us then it was already becoming. I just didn’t have it in me to argue with him. I was just so tired—tired of trying to make everyone believe me, sick of telling everyone I was all right, angry about being treated like I’m made of glass.

I’m having a hard-enough time trying to find my way back to being me again without everyone treating me like the wounded victim that I felt I was for those five days. Of course, being put on inactive duty has done very little to help me though everyone thinks that it will.

I look up from my phone, glancing around the large room for any signs of Scott St. James. I imprinted his face in my mind, immediately recognizing the similarities in appearance between him and his uncle. It made my skin crawl as I stared at that picture. Seeing him in person will likely be far worse.

“Hi, Justine,” a male voice greets the woman who told me where Jason was.

“Morning, Scott,” she replies with a smile that was definitely for his sole benefit.

My eyes narrow as I spot the man that I came to find out more about. He’s leaning against a doorframe talking to Justine, exuding charisma much like his infamous uncle. He has brown wavy hair, eyes that are as dark as Colombian coffee. He’s definitely handsome and charming. He makes me want to vomit.

“What did you do last night?” Justine asks, leaning forward with her forearms coming to rest on her desk to make sure that he had a good view of her cleavage peeking out the top of her sweater.

“Oh, not much,” he nonchalantly responds as he moves to sit on the corner of her desk. “Went to the gym, ran into some friends and went to the bar for a drink. How about you?”

“Just stayed in…watched a movie,” she tells him.

“Do you have any plans Friday night?”

“No,” she shyly replies and I think I’m going to scream. 

Man’s World and their silly ideas about romance still makes my head spin. I want to yell out for both of them to just come out and say what they mean instead of dancing around their obvious attraction to one another, but then I’m reminded of Bruce and me. We had performed the very same dance, neither of us willing to just come out and tell each other how much we meant to one another.

“Would you like to go out for dinner Friday night?” he asks. “My family owns a restaurant in Gotham. I’d love to take you there.”

“I’d love to,” she gushes.

“Diana,” Jason calls my name, much to my dismay.

I look to my right to find Gotham’s District Attorney walking quickly down the hall towards me. He smiles brightly as he comes to a stop outside of his office. “Justine,” he says to his secretary. “Hold all my calls. I don’t want to be interrupted for any reason.”

“Yes, Mister Trask,” she responds, swiftly sitting up straighter.

“Scott,” Jason continues. “I need everything you have on the Wilson case by this afternoon.”

“Got it, boss,” Scott promises with an easy grin as he stands to his feet.

He begins to head to his office, but not before looking back over his shoulder at Justine. The lecherous smile he gives her makes my heart nearly stutter out of rhythm. It’s the same leer that Declan always gave me before I was abducted. It makes me want to break his face.

“Diana?”

I look up to find Jason staring at me, a concerned look in his eye. “I’m sorry,” I murmur. “Yes, I’m ready.”

He offers his hand and I reluctantly take it, standing up and following him into his office. “I have to admit that I was rather surprised you called me this morning.”

“Why is that?” I ask as I settle into a chair in front of his desk.

Instead of sitting behind his desk, he takes the seat next to mine. “From our last conversation, I had gotten the feeling you didn’t want to have anything to do with MacCaffrey’s case until it was time to go to trial.”

“I had a change of heart,” I tell him as I cross my legs which he immediately takes notice of. “I felt it was best that I stay involved in this case to make sure that he stays in jail for the rest of his life.”

He reaches over and takes my hand in his, his thumb caressing the back of it. “I promise you that I will personally make sure that he never sees the light of day, Diana.”

I give him a small smile, politely pulling my hand free. “Who all is on your team working on this case?”

He frowns for a moment, but I realize it’s because he’s no longer holding my hand, not my question. “Myself, Matt Bishop, Stacy Cooper, and Susan Phillips,” he informs me. “I swear to you that I’m doing everything necessary to convict that animal for what he did to you.”

“Who is that Scott out there?” I ask, trying not to look overly interested, but I can tell my question takes him by surprise.

“Scott St. James?” he questions me, his brow furrowing. “He’s one of our investigative analysts. He isn’t working on your case.”

“Is there a reason why?” I ask. “I thought you were going to hit my case hard with everything you have.”

Jason becomes a little panicked, reaching forward to place his hand on my forearm. “Please, trust me, Diana,” he says. “I have the very best people working on this case. I won’t let you down. You’ve been through a horrifying event that no one should ever have to endure. I want MacCaffrey to hang for what he did to you.”

The fury that fills his voice is reassuring, but he still hasn’t answered my question about Scott. I need to know just how much they know about Scott St. James and his family tree. Do they even know that he is closely related to MacCaffrey or could be neck-deep involved in the girls that have gone missing?

“I do trust you, Jason,” I admit, averting my eyes beneath his probing gaze. He seems to relax a little with my assurance. “I guess I’m just still worried.”

“You’re not sleeping well, are you?” he asks, but doesn’t wait for an answer. “I can see it in your eyes, Diana…the exhaustion and anger. The trauma that you endured still haunts you.”

“I’m fine, Jason,” I curtly reply, my anger quickly rising like a deadly serpent awakened from its slumber. “I just need this over and done with.”

He studies me again for a long moment and I can tell that he doesn’t really believe me. No one seems to listen to me anymore. He reaches towards his desk, picking up a file. “The court date has just been set. It’s going to be June first.”

I draw a deep breath, glancing past him through the glass window of his office at Scott St. James who has returned to continue his conversation with Justine. I feel my every muscle grow tense. If he’s in any way involved in Bruce’s disappearance or the missing girls, I will personally beat him until he doesn’t remember his own name.

I feel a hand coming to rest against my cheek and I instantly bristle, my breath catching with a sudden instinctive need to break his hand. I swallow back that innate reflex that has only intensified since my abduction. I turn my gaze to Jason, fighting the tremble that I feel swelling inside of me.

“Diana, please,” he softly pleads with me, his gaze tender. “I wish you’d let me in…let me help you. I want you to talk to me, Diana. I love you. I want you to give us a chance.”

I carefully pull his hand away from my face as he begins to lean in close to me intent on kissing me. “Jason, stop,” I tell him, standing to my feet. “I’m flattered that you have feelings for me, but you already know that I don’t return them. I’m in love with Bruce. I’m sorry.”

Jason grows rigid with my words, his expression hard. “I’m still going to do everything in my power to see that Declan MacCaffrey pays for what he did to you,” he informs me as he stands to his feet as well. “Hopefully with time, you’ll see that Bruce Wayne is not a good man. You deserve far better than him, Diana.”

“You don’t know him the way I do,” I icily state. “He is a far better man than people give him credit for. Good-bye, Jason.”

I hear him curse under his breath as I exit his office, refusing to discuss my relationship with Bruce any further. It only inflames my fury, making me miss Bruce even more because I know the heart that beats within the man. I love him and everything that makes him who he is. While he can be very difficult to handle at times, I wouldn’t change him for the world. Changing him would alter something in him, changing a part of the man that I’ve fallen in love with.

As I exit Jason’s office, my eyes meet Scott St. James’s gaze and I feel a shudder roll through me as he grins at me. He’s as vile to me as his criminal uncle. I swear on my life that I will get to the bottom of this one way or another and MacCaffrey and St. James will pay the price.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WOW!! Jason just doesn't know when to give up! And this Scott St. James...what is going on with him? You know that Diana will find out the truth!
> 
> I finished this fic a couple of days ago. It makes me sad b/c I love this series so much. At this point, I don't see a sequel to this in the future. Might use this format again in the future b/c I've really enjoyed writing it. I am going to start planning out Deadly Intentions now.
> 
> UP NEXT: Touching scene between Bruce and Diana that I love how it turned out. In the present, some new information comes to light that will help Dick and Diana solve this case and find Bruce.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

_**Wayne Enterprises; February 4th, 11:56 EST** _

_I absentmindedly tap the tip of my pen against my notebook, wondering how much longer until this meeting is finally over. The Board of Directors for Wayne Enterprises wanted an update on my progress with the recovery of funds. After giving my full report, the meeting turned into a huge discussion about fund allocations as well as several more checks and balances that I had already established in order to keep anything like this from happening again._

_Several of the members are just rehashing the same discussion over and over again. To make matters worse, I can feel Bruce’s gaze locked on me from his seat at the head of the table. He’s been staring at me off and on during the entire meeting, making me wonder what he’s thinking about._

_He hasn’t talked to me for three days now, not since the incident with the fire in Texas. I’ve been trying to give him some time and space to cool down, but it’s been more than difficult. I miss him; miss not being able to talk to him or to feel his hand in mine._

_I glance up from my notebook to find his piercing blue eyes bearing down on me. It causes my breath to catch, the intensity of his gaze nearly making me shiver. The naked desire that I find simmering there creates some rather un-princess-like thoughts of my own as I nervously adjust my wire-rim glasses on my nose._

_I finally force myself to look away, my cheeks growing warm. I find that I’m able to breathe a little easier as I try to focus on Mister Donaldson, but I can still feel his heated gaze on me. I shift my position in my chair, wincing slightly with the movement._

_My back is healing well, but it’s beginning to itch like Hades. I can feel the tape pulling against my skin, making me want to just rip the bandages off, but Alfred insisted the bandages needed to stay on for at least another day. I can see now where Bruce gets some of his stubbornness. The British butler has definitely rubbed off on his surrogate son._

_“All right, gentlemen,” Bruce unexpectedly interrupts the discussion between a couple of members who seem intent to make sure this meeting runs straight through lunch. “I think what Miss Prince has outlined is more than sufficient. She’s done an outstanding job of recovering much of the missing funds so far. I can’t thank her enough for all the hard work she has put into it.”_

_Several murmur their agreement or nod their heads to concur. I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by his words of praise. I hope this means that he is no longer angry with me, but when it comes to Bruce it’s next to impossible to actually tell for certain. The man can hold a grudge longer than Hera herself._

_The meeting is thankfully adjourned, everyone standing to leave. I get up and begin to gather my things, feeling somewhat flustered with Bruce’s lingering stares. I’m pretty certain that he knows it too. Curse that smug man._

_I don’t look up as I pick up my things and begin to make my way to the door. I already know without looking that I’ll have to pass by him in order to leave. I’m not going to avoid him any longer. I did absolutely nothing wrong on that mission and, if he is still upset about it, then that is his problem._

_I approach him as he talks to Mister Donaldson. I believe that I’m going to get out of here without a confrontation, but Bruce decides otherwise as he abruptly reaches out and grabs hold of my forearm. “Miss Prince, could you please wait a moment?” he asks. “I have some things that I’d like to discuss with you in private.”_

_There’s an underlying pleading note to his voice that catches me off guard. It’s very unlike Bruce. “Yes, I can wait,” I reply, setting my things back down on the table._

_Mister Donaldson quickly finishes with Bruce before exiting the conference room, leaving us all alone. Bruce begins to follow him, making me wonder if he’s forgotten all about me. He pauses at the door, closing and locking it before turning his full attention on me._

_I feel the fine hairs on the back of my neck prickle with the intense look he is giving me, making me wonder what he’s up to. He crosses his arms over his chest as he studies me for a long moment and I’m not sure if he’s going to speak or just continue to stare at me until we both die of starvation._

_Just as I’m about to break the tense silence, he finally speaks. “How have you been?” he asks with a gentleness to his tone that is neither the superhero nor the playboy. It’s just Bruce—my Bruce._

_“Fine,” I reply, biting at my bottom lip._

_His stare only grows darker, making me feel as though I’ve just become the prey about to be pounced on. He slowly closes the distance between us, making it feel as though he is a lion and I am the gazelle he wants to devour. “Alfred told me your burns are healing well.”_

_I offer him a small smile, knowing how hard this is for him to try to open up to me like this. It’s not easy for him being forced to deal with his emotions. If it’s any conciliation, I’m finding myself in the very same boat for the first time in my life and I don’t know what to do about it._

_I feel like a ship lost at sea, struggling to stay afloat in the midst of a fierce tempest. Waves of rage and pain and bitterness wash over me at any given time, threatening to drown me, but I continue to fight, knowing that if I don’t, I’ll lose everything I hold dear to me including Bruce._

_“They itch like Hades,” I inform him with a soft chuckle. “Alfred insists on bandaging them even though I’m certain it’s no longer necessary.”_

_“That’s Alfred for you,” he agrees with a crooked smile that doesn’t reach his cobalt eyes still dark with longing. “You won’t win so I wouldn’t bother arguing with him about it.”_

_“Sounds familiar,” I lightly tease, the corner of my lips tugging into a small smile._

_“I’ve…missed you,” he softly says and I can see the emotional war being fought inside of him._

_“I’ve missed you too,” I reply, not reaching out to touch him. He needs to make the first move, to take that step out from behind his walls if we’re going to make this work._

_His hand settles on the back of my neck, his lips on mine before I can draw my next breath. I quickly surrender to the heat of his kiss, my lips parting with a sigh. He takes full advantage, his tongue meeting mine in a sweet caress that I’ve missed so much._

_My arms loop around his neck, pulling him closer and showing him just how much I’ve missed him these last three days. His hand shifts from the back of my neck to settle along my jaw and neck, his thumb caressing the spot beneath my ear. I moan softly in response and he abruptly pulls back much to my dismay._

_He breaths deeply, trying to calm himself and I realize that things had been growing far too passionate for him to remain in control much longer. It’s quite fascinating to see how close he comes to losing that vaunted, iron-like control when he is with me. I cannot fathom being the reason behind the frayed thread that is on the verge of snapping altogether._

_“I’m sorry,” he murmurs and I’m not sure if it’s for getting so upset after that mission or for kissing me. He can tell by my silence that I need more explanation than that. His eyes fall closed as he attempts to gather his thoughts and I feel terrible for him, but not enough to attempt to rescue him. “I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to talk to you.”_

_“Bruce, I did what any one of you would have done,” I evenly point out, not wanting to get into an argument with him, but I’m also not about to back down. “You know I can’t just sit back and wait when there are people in danger.”_

_“I know,” he relents, rubbing the back of his neck as he moves to sit on the edge of the table. “You also know that it’s protocol, Diana. Flash could have found them and gotten them out of there without you having to go in as well.”_

_My shoulders sag, not wanting to rehash it with him. We’re not going to see eye to eye on this. “You know we wouldn’t be having this conversation if this had happened before I hadn’t been abducted.”_

_“Maybe,” he relents much to my surprise. “You have to admit that you’ve been unnecessarily throwing yourself into dangerous situations, Diana.”_

_“No, I haven’t,” I insist, growing annoyed with the path that this conversation is taking. “I’ve just been trying to do my job while being watched like I’m under everyone’s microscope.”_

_Bruce stares at me as if considering my explanation. He reaches out and takes my hand, his thumb caressing the back of it. “Diana, are you trying to prove something?” he asks, the fine lines around his eyes tightening. “You have nothing to prove to anyone, least of all the Founders or me. We all know you are fully capable of doing your job.”_

_I feel my heart quicken as I lose myself in his eyes, the soft caress of his thumb. “I know,” I reply, not wanting to talk about it any longer. It’s more than difficult to try to explain what is going on inside of me when I don’t fully understand it myself. “I just didn’t feel that it was safe to wait any longer. I assessed the situation and acted. Nothing more.”_

_“Okay,” he finally relents. “I trust you, princess. I know you can handle yourself, but you’re still going to give me a heart attack one of these days.”_

_“I could say the same for you too,” I remind him._

_He gently tugs me closer, pulling me in to settle between his legs as he sits on the edge of the table. His arms wrap around my waist. He tilts his head as his lips seek out my mine, a gentle caress at first that gradually grows more intense. His hands move to cradle the back of my head as his tongue thoroughly explores every inch of my mouth._

_Hera, I have missed this man, missed his touch and his kiss. I pull back enough to place nipping kisses along his jaw to his ear. I hear his breath hitch and it causes the corners of my lips to curl with pleasure. “You like that do you?” I murmur seductively against his ear._

_“Far too much,” he huskily agrees, tightening his grip on my hips. “We need to stop…now.”_

_“I don’t want to,” I tease before raking my teeth over his earlobe._

_He hisses in response, his fingers pressing even deeper into my hips. “Princess…” he says with a strangled gasp as well as an aching need that is nearly palpable and most definitely shared._

_Bruce’s hands find my face, pulling me into a heated kiss. Before releasing me, he places a soft kiss on my lips. “Let me take you to lunch,” he offers._

_“My pick?” I ask, my tongue sneaking out to run along my bottom lip._

_“Yes…as long as you promise not to do that with your tongue anymore while we’re at work,” he decides. “I can barely keep my hands off you as it is without you doing that.”_

_“Fine,” I agree. “I want to go to the diner down the road.”_

_“Really?” he asks, somewhat surprised as he releases me to gather his things. “I thought you’d want something a little nicer.”_

_“No, I want a cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake,” I tell him._

_“It’s about time,” he mutters under his breath._

_I look at him incredulously. “Excuse me?”_

_“Nothing,” he claims as we head towards the door. “It’s just you still aren’t eating much. I’m glad that your appetite is finally returning.”_

_“I eat just fine,” I reassure him._

_“Whatever you say, Princess,” he tells me before unlocking the door and opening it._

_Exiting, we garner several curious looks and whispers among the staff, but Bruce seems impervious to it. I know better, though. He notices everything that goes on around him no matter how minute it may seem. In the beginning when we first started dating, Bruce had wanted to keep it quiet, but he has since changed his mind about it._

_Ever since the masquerade ball, it’s been pretty common knowledge around Gotham as well as Wayne Enterprises that Bruce Wayne is strictly dating Diana Prince. It’s something that has been a little bit of an adjustment, more so for me than Bruce. I’m garnering quite a bit of attention even with my secret identity now, finding reporters following me wherever I go and my picture being taken at any given moment._

_After dropping off our things in Bruce’s office, we head towards the elevators. Entering, he pushes the button as the doors close in front of us. I turn to look at him, curiosity filling my expression. Bruce turns to look at me as well, his playboy persona vanishing right before my eyes._

_“What?” he asks._

_“I’m just a little surprised that you didn’t mind us being alone in the conference room with the door closed and locked like that,” I explain. “I thought you’d want to keep our relationship at work platonic, not wanting to spark anymore rumors than what already storms around us.”_

_“Everyone knows, Diana,” he points out, tightening his hold on my hand. “We’re the main source of gossip around here.”_

_I frown at him as I consider this. “Are you sure you’re okay with that?” I question him, almost fearing his response._

_Despite our most recent argument, I feel that things have been going rather well between us for the most part. I can’t help but worry that the things that were done to me might end up driving him away in the end. It’s always there lingering in the back of my mind, simmering just beneath the surface._

_When will he finally decide that he’s had enough of my sudden insecurities and fears, wishing that he had the old Diana back…the one who isn’t damaged and broken?_

_As if reading my mind, Bruce pushes a button and stops the elevator before turning to fully face me. “In the beginning, I did want to keep our relationship a secret because I didn’t want to put any unnecessary focus or pressure on you, not because I’m ashamed of being with you,” he explains with an honesty I can fully see reflecting in his eyes. “It’s not easy being my girlfriend, Diana. It comes with a lot of unwanted attention and trouble.”_

_The corner of my lips quirk with his response as I tilt my head. “Girlfriend?” I repeat, loving the sound of it as well as the way it dances on my tongue. “Is that what I am to you?”_

_He closes the distance between us, making my heart begin to beat a little harder as he traps me between the hard wall against my back and his muscular body before me. “Is that what you want?” he softly asks, tilting his head as his gaze falls to my lips in that seductive way that drives me crazy._

_“I asked you first,” I counter._

_He answers me with a heated kiss that I feel clear down to my toes. “Does that answer your question?” he whispers, his lips brushing against my lips._

_I struggle to catch my breath as I fight against the varying emotions flowing through me. I want this man more than I have ever wanted anything in my life and yet I’m battling the demons inside of me that are trying to tell me I’m not good enough for him, whispering in my ear that I’m damaged and leaving me to wonder what happened to the fierce warrior that once lived deep in my soul. I feel like I’m nothing but a shell of the woman I once was._

_“I guess it does,” I finally murmur, forcing a smile to my lips._

_How long have I wanted this with him? Longed to feel and express this desire that burns like an intense flame within me?_

_He gently caresses my face, pausing to kiss me softly. “It’s okay, Diana,” he reassures me. “We’ll find our way through this relationship together. We can go as fast or as slow as you want.”_

_I silently nod my head, more than thankful for this amazing man the gods have allowed into my life. I lean in and kiss him again, needing him to know how much he truly means to me. He pulls out of the kiss, his exerted breaths hot against my face._

_He reaches over to push the button, the elevator beginning to move again. “You keep kissing me like that and lunch will be the last thing we get to today,” he tells me._

_I chuckle with his teasing, leaning against his shoulder as the elevator comes to a stop. He tilts his head and kisses the top of mine as the doors slide open. We exit hand in hand, stepping outside of the building and into the bright sunlight and frigid temperature. The feel of the sun on my face quickly soothes my tattered spirit and briefly reminds me of home._

_Home used to be Themyscira, but now I find it’s with Bruce. When I’m with him…I’m home._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Batcave; April 10th, 12:50 EST_ **

I’m growing more and more suspicious the more I learn about Scott St. James. Of course, the fact that his mother is Declan’s half sister hasn’t exactly brought me any measure of comfort. I’m trying hard not to let it cloud my judgment as I pour over documents, but it’s more than difficult after everything that’s happened.

Bruce’s disappearance has me more on edge than ever before. I can feel my desperation to find him mounting with every passing hour. If I could just hear his voice or catch a glimpse of him I’d feel a little better, but my hopes of that happening are quickly vanishing like a vapor in the wind.

Despite the fact that Dick is sitting next to me, I feel so alone. It’s somewhat unsettling to me how Bruce has become such an integral part of my life and of me. I never thought that I would ever need or want a man and now I can’t imagine living without him.

Bruce has been my rock these last several months, anchoring me in a way that I hadn’t realized that I had even needed or wanted. He has become my guiding light, though I know he’d scoff at the very notion if I told him. I know that he has never considered himself to be a beacon of hope or light for anyone, especially me, but that’s exactly what he’s been over the last several months. He’s kept me sane when I felt as though I was losing my way.

He firmly believes that he’s nothing but a dark chasm, one that eclipses all forms of light and sucks all the goodness out of the world. He feels he doesn’t deserve love or happiness or peace in his life because of the things that he’s had to do in order to save his city. He thinks he’s a monster with nothing redeemable within him, but I don’t believe it for one moment. He is my noble Dark Knight and I love him with everything that I am.

I fear at times that I’m weak for needing and wanting him like I do. I had never dreamed that I would come to the point in my life that I would ever need to rely on another person let alone a man. It goes against everything that I’ve known or been taught.

At first, I had thought that it was a failure on my part for not being stronger, for not being able to handle the things that had been done to me by Callahan and MacCaffrey in that warehouse, but Bruce…he is helping me begin to realize that it isn’t weakness on my part. I know it in my head, but I have to find a way to believe it in my heart or I’ll never escape this pit that I find myself in.

I know that Bruce leaning on me and opening up to me hasn’t been easy for him either. He has been alone most of his life despite Alfred, Barbara, and the boys. He’s always preferred to be alone, finding it more than difficult for him to allow others in or to get close to him.

He’s one of the bravest men I know and yet his fears have nearly paralyzed him at times, attempting to hold him prisoner. It only makes me that much more determined to help get past his issues, helping him to see that the world won’t end by letting me into his bleak world.

I absentmindedly rub my arms to ward off a chill that I feel rising up from somewhere deep inside of me, knowing how cold and dark Bruce’s world can be sometimes. I’ve seen glimmers of it. I’ve seen the terrified little boy that lives inside of him. It makes me love him that much more, catching glimpses that he rarely lets anyone else ever see.

The beeping monitor pulls me from my thoughts and causes me to sit up straighter in my chair. I hold my breath in hopes that it’s Bruce, but it comes rushing out in a curse when Dick pushes the button and Barbara appears on the screen.

“What have you got, Babs?” Dick asks.

“Actually…quite a bit,” she reports with a grin that instantly boosts my withering spirits.

“Please tell me you know where he is,” I plead, not sure how much longer I can go on without knowing if he’s even still alive.

“I’m sorry, Diana,” she says apologetically, her sorrow evident in her expression. “I do have information that could help us find him, though.”

“What did you find?” Dick asks, growing as impatient as I feel right now.

Tim approaches at that moment, a can of pop in his hand. “Hey, Babs,” he greets her as he plops down into a chair beside me. “Any luck on finding Bruce?”

“Not yet, but I think we’re getting somewhere,” she begins. “First, I’m going to start with Willow Stevens. The autopsy report came back as strangulation as cause of death.”

“We already know that,” I impatiently remind her.

“Yes, but it was also noted she’s not a natural blond,” Barbara revealed. “Some clumps of hair were pulled out at the roots that revealed she’s actually a brunette. I did some research and dug up some pictures of her from grades school to confirm it.”

“Whoa,” Dick mutters as he sits back in his chair, considering this new piece of information as we gaze at her grade school pictures.

“So she was probably killed because they discovered that she wasn’t a true blond,” I deduce.

“Bingo,” Barbara confirms. “When they inspected her, they figured it out and had to dispose of her.”

“Poor girl,” Tim murmurs softly from his seat beside me and I’m reminded once again just how tender Tim’s heart truly is.

“I’ll bet Michael Kozak didn’t know she was a true brunette when he picked her,” Dick adds. “That’s probably what caused him to end up swimming with the fishes in Gotham Bay.”

“Dick!” Barbara exclaims with great irritation. “You’re stealing my thunder!”

Dick has the good sense to appear sheepish as he sinks a little lower in his chair. “Sorry, Babs,” he apologizes. “Continue.”

“The autopsy on Kozak showed cause of death to be drowning,” she reveals, “but they also found a blond hair on him that turned out to be Willow’s.”

“Did a rape kit reveal any evidence from Willow?” Dick questions her.

“Semen came back belonging to Kozak,” she informs us.

“They find out Willow isn’t who they thought she was so they have Kozak rape and kill her to cover their tracks,” I surmise. “Once they dump her body, they turn on Kozak and murder him for screwing up.”

“Exactly,” Barbara confirms with a nod.

“You know Kozak wasn’t their only hunter on campus,” Tim interjects. “There has to be more than one especially if Kozak worked nights. There had to be someone scouting girls during the day too.”

“The other day when I went to the campus to discuss student scholarships I spotted a man sitting on a bench reading a newspaper,” I reveal. “At the time, I thought it was just an undercover police officer staking out the campus, but maybe it was someone involved in all of this.”

“What did he look like?” Dick asks me, his eyes narrowing.

“He had light brown hair and green eyes,” I tell him. “He was wearing a baseball hat and jeans. It was kind of hard to see much of him. He had a newspaper that concealed most of his face, but there was a scar under his left eye.”

Dick’s lips curled in a crooked grin. “It wasn’t an undercover cop,” he replied. “It was Bruce.”

I’m completely stunned, my mind racing back to that moment and all the thoughts and feelings I had experienced. At the time, I had an inexplicable feeling that I knew him and now I know why. It had been Bruce watching me that day. He must have seen my confrontation with Trask.

“Are you sure?” I murmur, reeling from the revelation. My heart is racing, wishing now that I had gone to him like I had first considered doing.

“That’s one of Bruce’s disguises that he uses when he goes undercover,” Dick confirms.

“Why…why was he there watching me?” I question them, looking to each of them for answers. “Why didn’t he talk to me…let me know that it was him?”

“He probably needed to see you, Diana,” Barbara replies, a dreamy expression veiling her face. “He missed you and needed to know that you were all right.”

Shocked, I turn to look at Dick for some sort of confirmation. “He knew you were going to be there then and needed to see you,” he agrees.

I can hardly catch my breath as I think back to that moment when I saw him. I can still remember the intensity that I had seen in his eyes, the storming emotions that seemed to reach across the distance that had separated us. Even now, I can feel the way his piercing gaze had seemed to peer into my very soul, raking across my skin and causing my heart to skip a beat.

At the time, I had brushed it off as nothing but exhaustion and worry over Bruce, my anger still simmering from the encounter with Jason Trask. I can’t help wondering what Bruce had thought seeing me talking to Jason. I know how he feels about him, how worried he is that Jason will somehow come between us.

That was the last time I saw Bruce. Now, I wish more than anything I had gone over to him, spoken to him or done something…anything. I might have recognized him if I had talked to him. I could’ve convinced him to come home. Instead, he’s missing and I have no idea how I’m going to find him.

Is this what it had felt like for him when I had been taken? Is this pain…this fear and frustration of not knowing what was happening to the one that I love what he went through?

“Diana, don’t beat yourself up,” Dick tells me. “He didn’t want you to know it was him. If he did, he would’ve pulled you aside to talk to you. He probably just needed to see you.”

“But what if that’s the last time that I ever see him again?” I ask, my throat clenching and finding it difficult to catch my breath.

“It won’t be, Di,” Barbara agrees. “Bruce has gone missing before and we’ve always found him. If history has taught us anything, it’s that nothing can keep him down for long.”

I bite at my bottom lip, trying to regain some semblance of control over my storming emotions. I want to hold him. I want to kiss him senseless…I want to scream at him for not telling me it was him on that bench. I want to beat him for leaving like this and putting me through this nightmare.

I draw a deep, shuddering breath. I know that he is doing what he has to do right now, what only he can do to try to save these women and his friend’s daughter. While it’s pushing me towards my breaking point, I find myself loving him even more for the compassionate heart that beats inside of him.

“Okay, well now that we have that little mystery solved, I have some more information for you all on Scott St. James,” Barbara continues. “It seems that Bruce was definitely on to something with his investigation into McCaffrey and St. James.

“It seems that one Scott St. James went to visit his Uncle Declan in jail at Blackgate not long after his arrest. He visited him for a total of five minutes and hasn’t returned to visit him since then. Very suspicious if you ask me.”

“Did you get the recording from the jail of that conversation?” Dick asks.

Barbara rolls her eyes and huffs in annoyance. “Do you not remember who you’re talking to, Bird Boy? Of course, I did.”

“And?” I prod, growing more agitated with the slow release of information. I think Bruce taught them all a little too well.

“Nothing damning,” she informs us with a frown. “There was a lot of ‘take care of your mother’ and ‘be sure to help out at the pub’.”

“That must be code,” Tim comments. “We need to check out that bar. I bet that’s where a lot of the business is being run out of.”

I glance at Tim, amazed by his deductive reasoning skills. I wonder how much of it is Bruce’s influence and guidance and how much of it is innate. “I agree…I think we need to stake out the bar and see what we can find out,” I decide.

“I think that’s going to be our best next step,” Dick concurs with me.

“What about the hideout that we found all the bloody gauze?” I ask. “Shouldn’t one of us be there at the hideout in case Bruce returns?”

“Tim, that’s going to be your job tonight,” Dick says. “Stake out the area around the hideout and let us know if you spot anything. With any luck, Bruce will try to return or attempt to make contact with us from there again.”

“You go it,” Tim agrees with a ready nod. He looks at me, reaching out to pat my forearm. “Don’t worry, Diana. We’ll find him.”

“I know,” I softly acknowledge, finding it difficult to make my voice work. I just want to feel him in my arms again, to breathe in his masculine scent that makes me so weak in the knees.

Knowing that he’s out there wounded and in danger seems to make his disappearance that much worse. It makes me ill to my core, a thousand different scenarios constantly running through my mind at any given moment. Hera only knows what’s happening to him right now. I can’t even count on my gods to help me or direct me to him.

“I’ll keep digging into Scott St. James,” Barbara volunteers.

Alfred appears at that moment, a tray of sandwiches in hand. “In the meantime, I believe you all need to eat something,” the British butler states in no uncertain terms. “You need to keep your strength up if you’re going to find Master Bruce.”

“Thank you, but I’m not hungry,” I reply with a shake of my head as I stand to my feet.

“Miss Diana,” Alfred begins in a reprimanding tone that broke no room argument. “I must insist that you eat something. You have eaten next to nothing for the last two days.”

“I’ll eat something before we go out,” I tell him, pausing to squeeze his hand before making a quick escape from the platform.

Right now, I just need to keep myself busy, try to make my mind stop imagining the worse. I quickly escape into the training room, locking the door behind me. Leaning my back against the door, I send up another silent pleading prayer that I’ll find Bruce before it’s too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WHOA! What a tangled mess! I've always loved a good mystery suspense story. I can't thank you guys enough for following me on this fic journey. I personally loved the past part. Bruce is just so sexy. Wish I could turn him into a real man. I'd be all over that in no time! :)
> 
> UP NEXT: In the past, Bruce runs into trouble. In the present, Nemesis and Nightwing stake out Scott St. James' bar and see someone they never expected as well as get some unexpected information.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**_Batcave; February 8th; 03:46 EST_ **

_Sitting at the computer, I rub my forehead as I continue to pour over one file after another in hopes of finding something that will help break this case wide open. Two more girls were taken the night before, more families devastated possibly beyond repair._

_Heather Myers had gone to the gym for a late night workout never to return to her dorm. Her duffle bag and IPod had been found near some bushes, but no sign of Heather. Anjelica Jensen had left campus to pick up some pizzas for an all-night study session with her friends. She never returned._

_Of course, there were absolutely no clues left behind either—no cigarette butts, no shoe prints in the dirt, no witnesses or fingerprints._

_I prop by elbows up on the desk, threading my fingers through my hair to hold my head. It’s been the same every single time and it’s maddening as Hades. The only thing that connects these girls is the fact that they are all students at Gotham University and have blond hair and blue eyes. There is absolutely nothing else that ties these girls together._

_It doesn’t even seem to matter to the kidnappers that there is increased security on campus or that the Gotham Police are practically crawling all over now to help safeguard the university. Whoever is behind this is very good. They are highly skilled and extremely covert in their movements._

_How many more girls are going to go missing before we finally find the monsters behind this madness? What is it going to take before they make a mistake that will lead us to them?_

_I glance at the time in the bottom corner of one of the computer screens. I had tried to go to bed several hours ago only to be woken by another nightmare that I couldn’t escape from. I gave up trying to get anymore sleep tonight, my mind too restless with the unsolved case and the past that continues to haunt me despite my best efforts._

_I’m hoping if I can somehow help Bruce solve this case and find these girls it’ll help me find some sort of closure to the endless nightmare that haunts my life now. Bruce still refuses to let me go out on patrol with him. It’s been the source of several arguments over the last few weeks, but I refuse to back down._

_I have to do this not only for myself but for these missing girls. I know all too well what they’re likely going through at this moment—the shame, the trepidation, the humiliation and raw rage that is so hot you swear it’s burning you up from the inside out._

_I think what I hated the most was the absolute helplessness that constantly clung to me like a second skin those five days. I couldn’t shake it no matter how hard I tried, being forced to rely on someone else to rescue me from the hell that I found myself in._

_I always knew in my heart that Bruce would find me, never once wavering from that absolute faith in him. It was the fact that I couldn’t save myself no matter how hard I tried that was crushing. I was vulnerable, incapable of escaping on my own and it created a whole new reality of fear in me that I haven’t been able to escape from. It scared me to my core being powerless in every way imaginable like that. Everything was so far beyond my control. I had never experienced anything like that in all my life and I didn’t know how to deal with it…still don’t even now._

_It caused me to lose faith in myself, to view myself as less than what I had always believed myself to be. I was no longer Wonder Woman in my mind, no longer the heroine that the world could depend on. I couldn’t save myself. How in Hera could I be counted on to save anyone else?_

_I know that I had lost my powers from being bound with rope, but that bit of knowledge does nothing to lessen this emotional storm roiling inside of me. I was still trained as a warrior, able to combat any and all foes that crossed my path with skill and precision._

_The sound of the Batmobile roaring through the tunnel startles me out of my thoughts. I’m relieved that Bruce is back from patrol already. I hope he has been able to discover something that will help us find these girls before it’s too late, but I know better than that. Gotham is not one to give up her secrets so easily._

_I click through another lengthy file of information that Bruce has accumulated, this one on Hector Ortiz. I frown as I begin reading through it, the slamming of the car door a welcomed background noise. My Batman is home safe and I can breathe a little easier._

_I stand to my feet, quickly making my way down the platform steps to see what he’s found. He’s walking slower than usual, a pained expression on his face. It makes my heart drop to think that another girl has been taken, but a dark whisper of fear tells me it’s something more…something worse._

_“Bruce?”_

_He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. He draws a shuddering breath before dropping to his knees and my heart drops into my shoes as I race towards him. I instantly fall on my knees before him, my hands roaming over his Kevlar uniform in search of the cause for his current state._

_Feeling something wet on his left side, I pull my hand back to find it covered in bright red blood. “No,” I gasp in shock. “Stay with me, Bruce.”_

_Without a second thought, I pick him up in my arms and fly him straight towards the medical area of the Batcave. I lay him down on the medical table as gently as I can, doing my best to keep the terror I feel trembling through me from reaching my fingers as I rip his uniform top off and shredding it like tissues paper._

_My frantic gaze falls on the bloody wound in his side, my fear escalating as I hit the manor’s intercom button. “Alfred!” I yell. “I need you down here now!”_

_I turn my attention back to Bruce, my hands finding his face that is covered in sweat. His face is pale and his skin clammy, his eyes fighting to stay open, but he’s losing the battle to stay conscious. “Diana…” he whispers my name, his fingers wrapping around my wrist._

_“Shhh…” I attempt to soothe him as I grab a towel from the shelf and apply firm pressure against his wound in hopes of stemming the blood flow. “It’s going to be all right. We’re going to fix you up and you’ll be as good as new. Just promise to stay with me, Bruce. Don’t you dare leave me. Do you hear me?”_

_His breathing is shallow and exerted as he murmurs my name again, drifting in and out of consciousness now and I wonder if he knows that I’m right here with him. I lean forward, pressing my lips to his in an effort to make sure he knows that I’m here and I’m not going to leave him._

_“What happened?” Alfred demands to know as he rushes towards me._

_“He’s been shot, but that’s all I know so far,” I reply. “He’s lost a lot of blood, Alfred. I don’t know if…”_

_I’m unable to finish that thought, the knot that has lodged in my throat making it more than difficult to draw another breath let alone speak anymore. I watch as Alfred quickly and efficiently gets to work assessing the wound before drawing up a syringe full of something that I can only guess will knock Bruce out so he can stitch him back together._

_I watch as Bruce goes deadly still and it nearly stops my heart altogether to see him like this. It looks as though he’s barely breathing. I feel hot tears build behind my eyes, but I can’t allow them to fall. Bruce needs me as does Alfred right now._

_“He’ll be all right, Miss Diana,” Alfred calmly informs me with a confidence that I don’t feel at all. “I’m going to need to give him a blood transfusion and do some minor surgery, but he should be up and about in a couple of days or so.”_

_I silently nod my head in understanding, too afraid to test my voice right then. I watch as Alfred expertly starts an IV, hooking him up to blood as if this was something that he did every night after Bruce returns from patrol. It makes me sick from the bottom of my stomach, knowing what Bruce puts himself through…the dangers that he faces every single night._

_Alfred sets to work probing and cleaning the wound. After what feels like an eternity, he removes a bullet, the clink of it as he drops it into the metal bowl ringing in my ears and reminding me of how close I came to losing him tonight._

_He meticulously begins to stitch up each layer of muscle and tissue before finally closing the wound. He carefully cleans up the remaining blood before applying the bandage. “There,” he finally utters, taking a step back and removing his gloves. “He should make a full recovery…as long as he behaves himself that is. I will leave that particular part of his recovery in your capable hands, Miss Diana. Lord knows that I’ve already had more than my fair share of battles trying to keep him down after an injury over the years.”_

_“Thank you, Alfred,” I softly tell him, my gaze locked on Bruce’s face and my hand tightly holding his._

_“No thank you is necessary,” he gently replies. “It has become my duty over the years to make sure he lives to see another day. It’s not one that I relish, but it’s most necessary.”_

_“He’d be lost without you,” I point out._

_“And the world would be lost without him,” he tells me._

_“You’re a good man, Alfred…more than anyone knows or gives you credit for,” I say._

_“I like to think it’s my small contribution to the fight against injustice and tyranny to stay behind the scenes and keep Master Bruce alive,” he responds, his face growing solemn as his eyes fall on his sleeping ward. “I’d be lost if he didn’t return home one of these times.”_

_I’d always known that Alfred and Bruce were close. The notion of master and butler is more a pretense for the world, rooted in Alfred’s British upbringing and his staunch belief in strict propriety. Now, though, I can see how deeply those feelings run, almost as strong as a father and son connected by blood._

_“I can watch over him so you can get some sleep,” I offer._

_“Are you sure, Miss Diana?” he asks with a worried frown._

_“Yes,” I insist. “I don’t want to leave him.”_

_Alfred gives me a small smile. “I understand,” he replies. “I’ll be back to check on the both of you in a few hours. Call me right away if you need anything.”_

_“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” I try to reassure him. “Get some sleep, Alfred.”_

_He nods before leaving me all alone with Bruce. I pull a chair up close to his bedside, my elbows coming to rest on the edge. I take his hand in mine, lacing my fingers with his as my eyes roam over him. He does look better than when he first arrived in the cave, but his face is still pale despite the blood transfusion he received._

_My gaze settles on the thick white bandages on his side, reminding me of how close I’d come to losing him tonight. The thought is near crushing, causing hot tears to build behind my eyes. I squeeze my eyes closed against them, refusing to allow them to escape._

_I feel like my world is being rocked once more, my legs unable to find stable ground. Every time I think that I’m finally finding my way out of this chasm that has swallowed me whole, something happens to remind me that I’m still there…still drowning._

_I hate it. I hate feeling this way. I need to find my way out of this abyss, but the one who has stolen my heart is lying unconscious on the bed before me. I reach out to gently stroke his hair that falls across his forehead, wishing that he’d open his eyes and look at me. I need to know that he’s going to be all right._

_“Please come back to me, Bruce,” I softly plead, my one arm snaking around Bruce’s waist. “I know that I’m not good at telling you this but…I need you. You’ve helped me through the hardest time of my life, but I still need you.”_

_Several minutes pass by without any response, causing my heart to sink even further. I lay my head on his chest, closing my eyes as I pray to every single goddess I can think of that could possibly help him. I know that Alfred said that he’d be all right, but I’m not feeling quite so confident._

_I feel myself begin to drift off to sleep despite my best efforts to stay awake. I don’t want to fall asleep. I want to keep vigil over Bruce, not to mention I know what awaits me when I close my eyes. Callahan and MacCaffrey are always there awaiting my arrival. This time, however, the nightmares are also accompanied by images of losing the man that I love._

_It’s not until I feel someone stroking my hair and calling my name that I register the familiar baritone voice that causes my stomach to do flips. My eyes fly open as I sit up with a start, my gaze immediately falling on Bruce. He’s watching me with concern in his eyes, our fingers still laced._

_“Bruce,” I murmur, looking over him as I run my fingers back through my hair. “Are you all right? Do you need me to get Alfred?”_

_“No, I’m all right,” he hoarsely tries to convince me, but I refuse to believe him._

_I give him a skeptical frown as I stare him down; doing my best to get him to admit that he’s not fine. Unfortunately, the man is as exasperatingly stubborn as I am if not more so. “You were shot, Bruce,” I angrily point out. “You’re far from fine.”_

_He reaches out to stroke my hair again, his eyes softening. “You were having nightmares again,” he tells me as I avert my gaze, his hand coming to rest against my jaw._

_“We’re not talking about me,” I remind him, angry that I wasn’t out there in Gotham with him helping him. “We were talking about you being shot. What happened?”_

_“Two-Face just got a lucky shot at me,” he reveals, his breathing shallow._

_My hand comes to rest on his chest just above his heart that is beating strong and steady beneath my palm. It causes warmth and reassurance to surge through me knowing that the man that I’ve fallen in love with is alive and he’s going to be all right._

_“I was…so…scared,” I softly confess, unable to make my voice work anymore as my eyes fall closed._

_The feel of his larger hand covering mine on his chest causes me to open my eyes. He’s staring at me with such adoration in his eyes it nearly steals the very breath from my lungs. “I’m sorry, princess,” he apologizes as his hand moves to wrap around my forearm. “Come here.”_

_He gently pulls me towards him and I go willingly. I climb into the medical bed with him, lying on my side on his left. He wraps his arms around me, a soft groan escaping against his will I’m sure. “Bruce,” I protest, knowing that he is in pain._

_“Don’t move,” he practically orders me, tightening his hold on me. “I want you here with me. It’s where you always belong.”_

_I relent, not really wanting to move anyway. I melt into his embrace, my head coming to rest against his chest again. A sigh of contentment slips past my lips. The warmth and hardness of his muscular body is everything I need in this moment as we hold one another, taking reassurance in each other’s presence._

_He tilts down and presses his lips to the top of my head. “Don’t worry, princess,” he murmurs. “It’ll take something far worse than this to take me out.”_

_His attempt to reassure me falls flat, doing absolutely nothing to settle my worry. My arm slips around him, being carefully of his wound. “Just please…don’t leave me, Bruce,” I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper. I hate how weak I sound…so needy and vulnerable._

_“I will always do everything I can to come back to you,” he reassures me, his voice sounding stronger._

_I turn and press my lips against his chest before sleep finally claims me once more, the feel of his fingers repeatedly running through my hair tempering a measure of the turmoil still swirling in my soul. I don’t know how, but he’s managed to become my anchor. I never believed that I would ever need one in my life, but he’s proven me wrong._

_I need him in my life. He’s forever a part of me now and nothing will ever change that._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 10th, 23:50 EST_ **

I land on the rooftop of a large department store that sits adjacent to the Irish bar that Scott St. James’ family owns. There is definitely something going on here…something that will help lead us to Bruce. I can feel it deep in my bones. 

Nightwing follows me to the edge of the rooftop, coming to stand beside me. “I used to like St. J’s Irish Pub,” he tells me. “Never eating here again now that I know MacCaffrey and his family owns it.”

“There’s something here,” I murmur with a thoughtful shake of me head. “I just know we’ll find what we need to lead us to Bruce.”

“Patience, princess,” he says in that tone that is so reminiscent of his surrogate father that it makes me do a double take. “We need to stake it out and see if we notice anyone familiar coming or going.”

“We already know that Scott St. James has ties here as well as MacCaffrey,” I point out. “What more do we need to know?”

“With any luck, we’ll spot someone that we can link to all of this,” he reminds me. “We need to find everyone involved in this and connected to St. James or MacCaffrey. It’ll make it easier to shut them down.”

“I should’ve known that MacCaffrey was somehow involved in all of this,” I ground out. “Even though he’s behind bars, he’s still managing to wreak havoc and cause pain.”

“We don’t know for certain that MacCaffrey is truly a part of this,” he points out. “Just because Scott St. James might be doesn’t necessarily mean that his uncle is still running the show.”

“You can be the one to keep an open mind in this investigation, but nothing is going to convince me that MacCaffrey isn’t culpable in all of this,” I icily state.

I can feel his eyes boring into me, but I ignore it. I keep my focus on the bar below. I know that none of this is his fault, but I’m having difficulty containing my anger and frustration. Every moment that slips by without finding Bruce makes me that much more desperate…that much more terrified of what he could be going through.

I know the things that were done to me, the horrific pain and abuse…the assault. The notion of Bruce going through any sort of pain or torture makes my stomach churn with a renewed sense of nausea that refuses to leave me now.

I had foolishly believed I was gaining some sort of hold on these emotions that ravage my soul, making me feel at times as though I’m losing my mind. Ever since Bruce disappeared, it feels as though those very same emotions have only grown stronger, my grip on them loosening.

I know that I need to keep myself together in order to find Bruce. He is my first and foremost priority, attempting to put myself back together and crawl my way out of this bottomless chasm the least of my worries right now. I can’t begin to imagine going on in life without him.

“Diana, we’ll find him.” Nightwing’s voice cuts through my tumultuous thoughts, so gentle and soft that it helps focus me. “He’s strong like you and won’t give up for any reason. He’ll do everything in his power to find his way back to you. He loves you too much not to.”

“I love him too,” I confess, my eyes falling closed as I think back to that moment when Bruce told me that he loved me. “I never got the chance to tell him. He doesn’t know and now he might die…”

My voice trails off, unable to finish the thought or the sentence as my throat constricts painfully. I’m not sure what breaks my heart more—the idea of Bruce dying or Bruce dying and never knowing how much I truly love him.

“He knows, Diana,” Nightwing tells me. “Even if you haven’t said the words yet, he knows.”

“No…no, he doesn’t,” I insist, the words coming out choked with guilt. He deserves so much better than me, better than what I’ve given him these last six months and still he tells me that he loves me before he leaves. “I’ve been pushing him away, keeping him at arm’s length. I’ve taken my anger out on him. How could he possibly know that I love him?”

“Because it’s Bruce,” Dick replies. “No one understands how you’re struggling to come to terms with everything that happened to you than him. He’s been there himself with the loss of his parents. Besides, he knows you, Diana. He knows your heart.”

I don’t get a chance to respond as someone exits from the back of the pub. I immediately recognize the man as Scott St. James. He pulls a cigarette out of his jacket pocket, lighting up and inhaling deeply before blowing a large cloud of smoke past his lips.

“That’s St. James,” I whisper to Nightwing as we crouch low to keep watch.

“With any luck, someone will show up that will be able to lead us to where Bruce and the girls are being kept,” he whispers back.

“Do you really think we’ll be able to find all the girls that have been taken?”

His lips thin into a grim line, giving me the answer that I already know deep down. “Not likely,” he softly says. “This has been going on for months. The first several girls that were taken have already been sold off. The chances of finding them now are very slim.”

I feel my rage burn even hotter as I watch St. James roaming around the back alley outside his family’s pub smoking a cigarette. I want more than anything to fly straight down there and beat the information we need out of him, but I know that we can’t. We have to do this Bruce and Dick’s way, especially if we want to put whoever is responsible behind bars and keep them there.

Scott pulls out his cell phone and begins scrolling through his messages, a scowl forming on his face with what he finds or doesn’t find there. He glances up as lightning streaks across the sky followed by an echoing rumble of thunder. The smell of rain begins to permeate the air. I hope the impending thunderstorm doesn’t force him back inside or we could lose our only lead at this moment.

Raindrops begin to fall sporadically, dashing my hopes. Thankfully, a black car arrives at that precise moment, coming to a stop in the back alley. Scott takes a long drag on his cigarette before dropping it on the ground and grinding it into the asphalt with the heel of his dress shoe.

He slips his phone back into his pocket as he approaches the car, his scowl deepening as the car doors open. “What took you so long?” he demands.

Two men exit the car and I swallow the gasp that I feel rising in my throat. I recognize one of the two men as Trevor Mills, the barista at Starbucks that the police had been interviewing the night that Kelly Watkins had been taken in the parking lot outside of the coffee shop.

“Trevor Mills,” Nightwing murmurs in recognition.

The other man with Trevor is not known to either of us, but Nightwing quickly captures his picture and sends it to Oracle for her to track down. I watch as they come to a stop before Scott, both men appearing rather nervous in front of St. James. It further confirms in my mind that Scott St. James is now the head of the Irish Mafia, fully stepping into his uncle’s shoes.

My heart is beginning to race almost as fast as my mind is right now, hope springing once more with this new-found lead. It would make sense that MacCaffrey would have an apprentice or second man waiting in the wings to take over for him if he ever got arrested. Now that that has become a reality, it seems that his nephew has readily stepped into the role.

Using my enhanced hearing, I’m easily able to pick up on what they’re saying. Right now, they’re talking sports and scores, conversation that does little to help me find Bruce, but I know that I need to be patient. I’ve learned from Bruce that things can quickly turn on a dime.

“How many labs do we have running?” St. James finally asks after a lengthy debate about how the Gotham Knights are doing.

“We’re down to two,” the unidentified man answers him. “Batman has been finding them all and shutting them down. It’s all we have left of Ash now.”

“Ash is a thing of the past,” St. James states with a definitive shake of his head. “It was my uncle’s scheme anyway. We need to keep moving on with my plans for Gotham.”

“I think we need to lay low for a while,” Trevor volunteers, nervously looking about as if he is about to be caught at any moment.

“Why?” St. James demands to know, pulling out another cigarette to light. “Things are going better than we planned.”

“Batman’s sidekicks are nosing around and asking questions,” Trevor informs them.

“I’m not afraid of Batman or any of his little helpers,” St. James counters with a smirk. “They’ve got nothing on us.”

Trevor draws a deep breath, looking completely unconvinced. He’s definitely lost the cocky edge that he had displayed out front of Starbuck’s last night after Kelly Watkins had been taken. I knew there was something about that guy that I didn’t like, something about him that told me he knew more than he was letting on.

“Nightwing and some woman in black showed up last night after Kelly was taken,” Trevor continues. “They also went to the docks to see Kozak’s body. They’re going to put the pieces together and then we’re all going to go down just like your uncle and Callahan did.”

“They don’t know anything at all,” St. James snaps.

I feel my insides twist painfully, stealing my breath and making it difficult to draw air. They know…they all know. They know about Ash…they know about me. The events of those five days spent with those vile animals crash into me. I lean forward, my fingers wrapping around the stone ledge of the roof to keep myself upright.

I grind my teeth, fury blazing through me like wildfire. I want to go down there and beat the information I need out of them, make them pay for the pain they have caused not only me but all of these college girls that have been taken. I have no doubt in my mind now that St. James and his Irish Mafia are behind it as well and I’m going down there to prove it.

A firm hand wrapping around my wrist pulls me back from that edge, forcing me to stop and think instead of just reacting like I have been known to do in the past. Bruce has taught me another way and I just pray that it ends up helping us find him in the end.

I turn to look at Nightwing, a silent shake of his head telling me what I already know. Now is not the time to act. We need to be patient, to see what else we can learn before revealing how close we are to pouncing on them and shutting them down. I know that it’ll end up providing us with more information to take them down permanently and to capture all that are involved, but it’s next to impossible when they are more than likely the ones who have Bruce.

Nightwing releases his hold on my arm, but it does little to subdue the raging river of emotions coursing through my veins or the fact that I want to pound these guys into dust. They are nothing but scum and I want them taken out as soon as possible before any more women can be taken or hurt by them.

“So are we going forward with the next pick up or not?” the other man asks, clearly growing impatient. “I’ve got a nice one lined up.”

Trevor shakes his head in disagreement as he begins pacing back and forth, pausing to kick a stone on the ground. It’s obvious that he is beginning to get anxious about St. James’ plans to move forward. It gives me hope that maybe he’d be a little more willing to talk if we cornered him.

“Go ahead with the hit,” St. James ultimately decides. “I want to keep the trade going, but I also have something special I want you two to work on for me.”

“What’s that?” Trevor asks, pausing to look at their boss. “We kind of have our hands full right now with the job you gave us to do.”

“This won’t take you long,” he promised his two lackeys.

“We can handle it,” the other guy promised him. “Just let us know what you want done and we’ll take care of it. You can count on us...right, Trev?”

Trevor frowns as he stares at his friend, his expression darkening. “Yah…sure.”

“I want you two to do some checking in for me on Diana Prince,” St. James says.

I can feel Nightwing instantly grow tense with the mention of my secret identity. I, on the other hand, relish the idea of these two coming to check on me. I would love nothing more than to get my hands on them and personally show them how to show respect to a woman.

“Why her?” Trevor asks.

“The trial for my uncle is going to be starting on June first,” St. James informs them. “She is going to be called to testify in the case against him. I want you to put pressure on her.”

“So you want us to take her out?” Trevor questioned him.

“No…not yet,” St. James decides. “Let’s just wait and see what happens. I just want you two to scare her, make her think twice about testifying about Declan.”

Trevor stares at him, still uncertain about this plan. “How do you want us to do it?”

“Use your imagination,” he tells them. “Do whatever you want, but don’t kill her…at least not yet. We don’t want to draw any unwanted attention that will make the police or Batman think that it’s a hit by the mafia.”

“We’ll come up with something,” the friend confirms.

“Okay, good,” St. James says with a nod. “Get out of here before someone spots us together.”

Both men head back to their car as St. James returns to the pub. Nightwing takes a picture of the car’s license plate, sending the information to Oracle to run down. I back away from the ledge, turning to face him. I already know what he’s going to say before the words even leave his mouth.

“You can’t leave Wayne Manor as Diana Prince until this over,” Nightwing tells me.

“I’m not going to run away from this,” I insist, clenching my jaw with the ire blazing through me. “I will not hide like some coward.”

“It’s too dangerous, Diana,” he states, doing his best to keep his voice down. “I can’t let you go out in public knowing that those two men are after you.”

“You can’t let me?” I angrily hiss.

“Diana…” he slowly begins, pausing to draw a breath as he carefully chooses his next words. “We need to focus on finding Bruce. We can’t do that if those two men put you in the hospital.”

“They won’t hurt me because I won’t let them this time around,” I bite out the words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We're getting closer to finding Bruce and what is going on! Only ten more chapters left in this fic.
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana share a special Valentine's together. In the present, Trevor and his friend make good on their promise to terrorize Diana. 
> 
> You're guys are awesome! Thanks for following and reviewing! :)


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

_**Batcave; February 14th, 23:17 EST** _

_Exiting the shower, I towel dry my hair, finding that the two-hour training session I just finished has done little to assuage my demons or provide the slightest bit of peace. I’m not in the mood to attempt sleep at the moment, deciding to see what I can do to help Bruce with his case instead. I need to feel useful right now, not relive the nightmare that never seems to want to end._

_He’d left for patrol soon after dinner, wanting to get a head start on the night in hopes of finding any clues about the kidnappings. Gotham is in a panic, parents keeping their daughters in at night. Some have gone so far as to drag their daughters home from Gotham University, refusing to let them stay on campus._

_I know this case is weighing heavily on Bruce, taking each kidnapping personal as well as his lack of success in finding any of the missing students. He has been working so hard to find these girls, running into one dead end after another. It hurts me to see his frustration growing, knowing that he’s feeling this case bone-deep._

_The similarities of this case to my own abduction is just ripping old wounds wide open and pouring salt in them for the both of us. It hasn’t helped that we have absolutely no leads, just a long list of suspects that have led us nowhere. While he suspects Declan MacCaffrey could be at the heart of this sex slave ring, he’s been unable to uncover any real proof._

_I rub my arms as my thoughts linger on Declan, my skin crawling. I remember when Bruce had first introduced us at the diner just down the street from Wayne Enterprises, dancing with Declan at the charity gala I had organized. I thought that he was a friend, one that could be trusted. Bruce and I had both been proven so very wrong._

_Despite the fact he’s behind bars, I would love nothing more than to get my hands on him and pour out all my pain and rage and humiliation on him, make him feel every bit of the shame that I have been carrying since those five long days spent with him and Callahan._

_I want him to know how it feels to have all sense of control being stolen from him, to be so ashamed that he can barely look at himself in the mirror. I want him to know what it’s like to have his dreams invaded every single night by the demons that have taken root inside of his soul._

_I know that will never happen. I’ll never get the chance to make peace with what has happened to me or find some sort of resolution in all of this. I can only hope that by helping to find these missing students it will help me find the salvation I need so desperately right now._

_Making my way towards the computer system, I’m surprised to hear the roar of the Batmobile’s engine as it echoes in the tunnel. It causes fear to spike in my heart, terrified that Bruce is injured again. I don’t even wait for him to come to me this time. Instead, I fly straight towards the platform where he’s parking the car._

_“Bruce,” I anxiously call his name as he exits. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”_

_“I’m fine,” he reassures me, pulling his cowl off as he makes his way around the Batmobile. “I cut patrol early tonight.”_

_I frown in confusion as he comes to a stop before me. “Why?” I ask. “What’s going on?”_

_“I wanted to spend what is left of Valentine’s Day with you,” he reveals._

_“Valentine’s day?” I thoughtfully repeat, comprehension washing over me. “I…never even realized.”_

_“I know that I should’ve planned something romantic for you today, but I’m afraid I have no good excuse, princess,” he explains, his expression exposing how guilty he feels as he rakes his fingers back through his messy black hair. “I’ve been so busy trying to find these students and—”_

_“No, it’s okay, Bruce,” I assure him. “I understand…really. I don’t need any roses or expensive dinner.”_

_“You deserve far more than what I’ve planned for us tonight, but it was the best I could come up,” he tells me._

_“What do you have in mind?”_

_“Grab some warm clothes and meet me in the kitchen in ten minutes,” he instructs me._

_I stare at him for a long moment, trying to figure out what he’s up to. He closes the distance between us, murmuring “trust me” before kissing me softly as he lips linger against mine a heartbeat longer. I smile in response, my excitement beginning to build. I can’t help wondering what he’s up to._

_“Fine,” I agree, turning on my heel and making my way upstairs._

_I quickly head to my room, removing my t-shirt and leggings and slipping into jeans and a sweater. I pull my hair back into a ponytail before grabbing my winter coat and mittens. I float downstairs, skipping the stairs before flying into the kitchen to find Bruce is already there talking with Alfred._

_Their expressions are serious, making me wonder if I’m intruding on something important. I catch something about trying to cheer me up and Bruce wanting to make the night special for me. They both look up at me as I come to stand on the other side of the counter, pretending that I didn’t hear what they were talking about._

_I know they worry about me despite my best efforts to make sure that don’t. They seem to have an uncanny ability to read beneath what they see on the outside, seeing what lies beneath the surface. It’s unsettling to say the least._

_“Are you ready?” Bruce asks with a somewhat sheepish expression, knowing that I had to have heard them talking about me._

_“For whatever you have in mind,” I reply, giving them a warm smile of reassurance._

_“I have packed a basket full of treats for the two of you,” Alfred informs me, handing it to Bruce. “Have a splendid time, Miss Diana.”_

_“I might if I knew what we were doing,” I reply, glancing at Bruce in hopes of getting some sort of an answer._

_Bruce smirks at me, basket firmly in hand. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” he tells me. “Let’s go.”_

_I look from Bruce to Alfred in hopes of getting some sort of clue of what he’s up to. Alfred just gives me a conspiratorial smile, clasping his hands behind his back as if telling me that I’m on my own. “Traitor,” I murmur in mock agitation at the British butler._

_Alfred just chuckles softly before turning and leaving the kitchen. I follow Bruce who turns to take my hand, leading me out the back of the kitchen and out onto the patio. Snow is falling at a leisurely pace, white fluffy flakes that cling to everything including my eyelashes._

_It’s cold but not bitterly, so very still and quiet. A midnight sky filled with millions of stars looks down on us between wispy clouds. It’s the perfect night for whatever it is that Bruce has in mind for us. I tighten my hold on his hand, silently letting him know how much this really means to me._

_It’s not always easy for him to show his emotions or to open himself up to me. I know he’s been trying extra hard to reach me since he rescued me, trying to bring me out from behind the walls of my self-imposed prison that I’ve built around myself._

_I can feel the snow crunch beneath my boots as we walk hand-in-hand. I’m still not sure where we’re going, but I no longer care. I’m with the man I love and that is all that matters in the world to me. We walk in silence for several minutes, both of us just enjoying being with the other._

_Passing several pine trees heavy with snow, we come into a small clearing with a large pond that is frozen over. He leads me over to an old wooden bench that sits along the pond, setting the basket down before us. I sit down next to him, still uncertain of what he has in mind._

_“Have you ever ice skated before?” he asks, pulling the blanket off the top of the basket to reveal two pairs of skates._

_“No…never,” I reveal._

_“Good,” he says with a crooked smile. “I’m going to teach you.”_

_“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” I tentatively venture as he hands me a pair of ice skates before removing his boots. “How am I supposed to stay upright on this thin piece of metal?”_

_“It’s not as hard as you think,” he assures me as he slips his ice skates on._

_Still uncertain of myself, I remove my boots and put on the skates, wondering what I’m getting myself into. “You could be in for a big disappointment, Bruce,” I warn him. “It’s like we have winter on Themyscira.”_

_“All the more reason to try something new,” he maintains as he stands to his feet._

_I watch in awe as he skates out onto the large frozen pond, skating with a confidence and skill that I should have known that he possesses. Everything he does is flawless. I swear there is nothing that this man does not know how to do and to do it perfectly._

_Releasing a breath of apprehension, I stand up on wobbly legs, flailing my arms in order to keep my balance. Bruce chuckles softly as he skillfully skates towards me, his gloved hands reaching out for mine. He is a picture of perfect control and masculinity, strength and far too much charm for his own damn good._

_He makes me want to kiss him senseless, but, right now, I’m just trying to focus long enough to keep from making a complete fool of myself. He gently pulls on my hands, my legs completely locked and stiff as a board out of fear of moving them._

_His chuckle deepens into a hearty laughter that cause tingles to shiver through me. It’s a sound that I love and can’t wait to hear again. “Are you laughing at me?” I question him in mock indignation._

_“I just never anticipated that you’d be this uneasy about learning how to ice skate,” he replies, blue eyes shimmering with amusement in the moonlight. “You’re like a newborn calf afraid to try out your new legs.”_

_“I’m being held up by a very thin piece of steel,” I point out. “It’s not very comforting.”_

_“You can fly, Princess,” he reminds me. “If you feel yourself starting to fall, you can always catch yourself before you hit the ground.”_

_“I know, but it’s still a little unsettling,” I counter. “I’m not sure I like this feeling.”_

_“Okay, just let me pull you around until you feel a little more comfortable and used to the feel of the skates on the ice,” he suggests, holding my hands in his as he begins to skate backwards._

_He pulls me around the perimeter of the pond, my every muscle taut with anxiety which I’m sure is reflecting on my face. It’s taking me a little bit to grow accustomed to winter. It’s not something that I had ever experienced before coming to Man’s World. While the cold doesn’t really affect me, the feeling of not being totally in control of my feet certainly does._

_“Good,” he murmurs as he gazes down at my skates. “Try to move them a little…like me.”_

_I concentrate on his skates, watching how he moves them. I remind myself that I am an Amazon warrior and that I don’t back down from a challenge of any kind even something miniscule like this. I begin to move my skates a little at a time, still feeling unsure of my movements._

_I can feel the way the thin metal blade cuts across the slick ice, the way that we glide together as if we’re one being. My lips begin to curl as I realize how much I’m actually enjoying this. I’m not sure if it’s the activity itself or just being out here with him, but either way I love it…I love him._

_He begins to release my left hand and I immediately panic, my eyes growing wide as my feet begin to move faster than I can control. He quickly grabs hold of my hand again, helping to keep me upright. “You’re doing good, princess,” he encourages me._

_“You’re just saying that,” I counter with what is meant to be a scowl but is more like a suppressed grin with a touch of complete trepidation._

_“Okay, I’m going to let go of your left hand again, but I’ll keep hold of the right,” he instructs me._

_“Bruce, this is not a good idea,” I adamantly warn him, trying to muster my best threatening glare. Unfortunately, it falls flat._

_“Too late…I just let go,” he tells me, waving his free hand at me._

_“Bruce!” I growl, trying my best to keep my balance._

_“You’re doing great,” he says, leading me by my right hand as the snow begins to fall a little harder._

_“Is this where you learned to skate?” I ask._

_He nods, his expression growing solemn once more. “My mother taught me right here on this pond,” he reveals. “We’d come out here all the time and skate for hours in the winter. It…it was some of my favorite moments spent with her.”_

_I can feel tears begin to blur my vision, causing me to blink several times to keep them at bay. “Thank you, Bruce,” I softly tell him. “It means a lot to me that you would share something so special to you with me.”_

_A small smile is my only response, but the happiness that shines so brightly in his eyes says far more than words ever could at that moment. “I’m sorry I didn’t get you roses,” he says as he skates close to me, keeping a firm grip on my hand. “I’m afraid the whole romantic persona that I purport to the world is just a façade. Besides, it’s been a very long time since I’ve let myself be with someone that I truly care about.”_

_“I don’t need roses,” I reply as I gaze into his eyes. “All I need is you.”_

_And with that, my skates hit a small bump in the ice, causing me to fall and bringing Bruce down with me. I land on my back on the ice, Bruce landing on top of me. We are almost nose to nose, both of us laughing at finding ourselves in such an unexpected but not unwanted position._

_“Are you all right?” he murmurs as his eyes roam over my face._

_“Never been better,” I respond as my hands settle on his back, keeping him on top of me._

_His face drift closer to mine as we gaze at each other for whatever feels like an eternity. I find it difficult to draw a breath as his lips finally find mine in a sweet kiss that doesn’t stay that way for very long. It grows very heated the longer we lay there on the ice like that, his hands bracing himself on either side of my head as he thoroughly explores every inch of my mouth over and over again._

_Retreating, he gazes down at me, breathing heavily and I notice the darkening storm in his eyes. It makes me shiver for a reason other than the cold. “I think we’ve had enough ice skating lessons for one day,” he softly says, forcing himself to his feet before offering me a hand._

_I’m disappointed with the absence of his body on top of mine, but I take his hand anyway as I get to my feet. My unstable legs attempt to compensate, throwing me right into his strong arms and against his body as my legs fan out behind me. His firm embrace supports me and keeps me close to him._

_He tilts his head, his nose nuzzling mine as our lips connect once more as he pulls me firmly against him. We lose ourselves in the heat of the moment as the snow continues to fall all around us. The only sound is our ragged breaths mingling with soft moans of pleasure. His forehead comes to rest against mine, his eyes still closed as he struggles to come to terms with something inside of him._

_“I know you’ve been struggling to accept everything that happened to you,” he tells me as he holds me close. “I just want you to know that I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk to me…ready to let me in. I’m not going anywhere, Diana.”_

_I squeeze my eyes closed, his words slicing deep through all the turmoil. I swallow hard, the things that I want to tell him dancing on my tongue, but fear keeps them bottled up inside of me. “Thank you,” I murmur, finding it to be the only thing I can say at that moment._

_He pulls away with a sigh, taking me by the hand and leading me back to the bench. Sitting down, he reaches into the basket Alfred had sent along, pulling out a thermos and two cups. He pours us both a cup of hot chocolate, handing me one._

_“I know it wasn’t the most romantic night, but happy Valentine’s day, Princess.”_

_“No, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I reassure him, pausing to take a drink of the warm chocolate before kissing him once more._

_He wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him as we enjoy our hot chocolate as well as the snow that is falling down around us. I can’t possibly think of a better way of spending Valentine’s with him. I know that he is sharing a piece of himself with me in hopes that I’ll too begin to open up and share with him the things that I’ve kept hidden deep within, but I can’t…not yet._

_Maybe someday, but not today._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Wayne Enterprises; April 11th, 14:23 EST_ **

Staring at the pile of work on my desk, I finally decide that I’ve had more than enough for one day. I came in for a few hours to get caught up on several things. Dick told me it would be best if I went into work so as not to draw any attention or create suspicion surrounding the fact that Bruce is supposedly away on a business trip.

The cover story was that he was away on business for several days, brokering a new deal with some company in France. I wish now that the cover story had included me in it so I can be away from my job while we continue to search for him.

I swear I don’t know how much more my heart can take. The bone-deep, unshakable ache that lives there now is never-ending. I miss him terribly, but I know that I need to focus. I had hoped that coming in and doing some work would help to get my mind off things for a little while, but instead it seems to have only made it worse.

Being here in the company that Bruce owns just continues to remind me of him. Everywhere I look I see signs of him, little things that remind me of him. I already have so many memories of working here with him over the last year that arise out of nowhere to assault me—Bruce poking his head into my office to say hi for no reason, showing up out of the blue to ask me to lunch, sitting across the conference table from each other during meetings, sharing stolen kisses behind closed doors.

Of course, it’s no better being in the manor or in the cave. I can smell his masculine scent in the air, in the sweatshirt he left on his work desk. I can almost feel his presence all around me and yet he’s not really here with me where he always should be.

I do my best to focus on the new contributions that have recently come in, but all I want to do is search every inch of this city for Bruce. I want to tear through every seedy neighbor, broken down building and crime-infested alley in order to find him before they can hurt him any more than they likely already have. 

The problem is I don’t even know if he’s here in Gotham anymore. He could be halfway around the world by now for all I know or even worse— he could be dead. The thought steals my breath and causes tears to instantly prick my eyes. I can’t stand this doing nothing and keeping up pretenses. This feeling of helplessness that holds me in a vice grip makes it difficult to draw air. He needs me and I don’t have the first clue as to where to look for him.

Now I know how Bruce must have felt those long five days that I’d been taken. The worry is almost crippling…maddening, but I won’t fail him. I knew that he’d find me and save me from the nightmare that seemed like it would never end and I will do no less for him, bringing him home to me.

There has been a slight glimmer of hope in the midst of the storm. Barbara was able to identify the man who was with Trevor Mills last night. It’s Connor Mills, Trevor’s cousin. She was spending the day digging into the cousins as well as into Scott St. James’ life in an effort to figure out where they could possibly be running their sex trade ring. If we can find that, I just know that we’ll find Bruce and hopefully his friend’s daughter Emily.

Clicking through some files on my computer, I let my mind drift to happier moments, hoping that it’ll help me through this never-ending nightmare of not knowing…worrying about him and imagining the worst. My lips curl slightly with the memory of Bruce teaching me how to ice skate for the first time.

I had known it was Valentine’s Day, but I hadn’t really paid that much attention to it. Bruce isn’t exactly a romantic at heart, but he definitely has his moments when he can be quite tender and sweet. He had taken me out to the frozen pond where his mother had taught him how to ice skate, sharing a special memory with me and touching my heart. It meant far more than any piece of jewelry or roses ever could have.

I had considered getting him a gift, but what do I get for the man who has everything and the money to buy it if he wants it?

It wasn’t like I could wear a sexy little negligee to surprise him in bed. We had decided…actually, Bruce had decided…to put the physical aspect of our relationship on hold until he felt I was ready for the intimacy. It still annoys me to no end that he gets to dictate the boundaries of our relationship like this, but I keep reminding myself that it’s only because he loves me.

He’s so afraid of hurting me or causing me to have flashbacks. He’s already worried I’m not dealing with any of what happened to me and he’s right. I’ve tried and it’s not working. I know that the only way that I can even begin to come to terms with all of it is to open up to Bruce, to let him come inside the darkness that consumes me now.

It sounds so much easier than it actually is. Even though I know that I need to talk to him when we finally get him back, I’m still afraid he’ll end up walking away from me. I’m not sure I could handle it if he turned his back on me, closing off his heart.

I’m no longer the innocent princess from Themyscira, naïve to the ways of Man’s World…its depravity and the vile acts that man can sink to. I’ve lost that air of innocence, those rose-colored glasses Shayera once told me that I look at the world though. I’m tainted and broken and filled with such rage, angry with everything around me and I hate it. I hate it that I’m no longer the woman that Bruce fell in love with.

I had a light inside of me that used to shine so bright, but it feels as though it’s been extinguished. It feels so dark and cold inside now, my spirit crushed. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to get that warmth back, find my way again. I’ve been irrevocably changed by all of this. Will Bruce still want me…still love me despite what I’ve become?

A knock at my door causes me to look up to see Lucius standing there with a smile on his face. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything too important,” he says by way of greeting. “You look pretty focused on whatever you’re working on.”

“Not at all…come in,” I reply. “What can I do for you, Lucius?”

“I was just wondering if you were going to the charity event tonight,” he reveals. “I know that Bruce isn’t here to take you, but you are more than welcome to come with Tanya and me.”

“That’s very sweet of you, Lucius,” I respond, tucking a stray curl behind my ear. “I think I’ll probably pass tonight.”

“Well, if you change your mind, we’ll be there,” he offers. “I’m a pretty good dancer and Tanya is always looking for someone to gossip with.”

“Thank you for the offer,” I reply with a grin. “Maybe next time.”

He smiles with a nod. “Have a good evening then.”

“Thanks,” I utter as he leaves me alone with my thoughts and my work.

The stillness of my office only makes me that much more anxious, adding to my mounting frustration. I know that I can’t sit here any longer. I need to return to the manor and do something to help find Bruce. There has to be more I can do than sitting here, pretending that I’m not a frantic mess on the inside.

Turning my computer off, I stand to my feet and gather my things, deciding that I’ve been here long enough for one day. Walking out, I check my phone for the hundredth time as I make my way down alone in the elevator before stepping outside into the rainy weather. It’s a wet and dreary afternoon, one that matches my dark mood.

I curse under my breath at the lack of text messages from Dick and Barbara. I’d hoped that they had managed to come up with some sort of lead while I’d been gone. I send a quick text message to Barbara as I head towards my car, praying for some news and ignoring the raindrops that begin to speckle my glasses.

I decide to check in with Dick, my patience running very thin as I become acutely aware of someone following me. I put the phone to my ear as I dig through my purse for my car keys when someone abruptly grabs me by the arm and spins me around, slamming my back up against the side of my SUV.

I’m stunned to find two men in black ski masks staring me down, one with a gun pointed straight at my face. I instantly feel my fury flare hotly within me, searing through my veins. I hold my hands up; my right hand clutching my phone so tight it’s nearly crushing it. I force myself to relax my grip on it.

I can hear Dick pickup my call, calling my name several times, but I don’t respond. I want him to hear everything that’s going on in hopes of discovering some sort of clue we can use to help us find Bruce. “What do you want?” I demand far harsher than I had intended, but playing the damsel in distress is definitely not my strong suit.

“We’re here to warn you to keep your mouth shut,” the one holding the gun threatens me.

He’s attempting to disguise his voice, but I know it’s Connor Mills and his cousin Trevor standing here before me. I do my best to appear as though I’m terrified, glancing from one man to the other as I try to gather as many details as I can at that moment. 

It’s more than difficult to play a part when my every instinct is screaming at me to fight, to take them down and make them tell me where Bruce is at, but I know that I can’t. I don’t want to blow Bruce’s cover and put him in even more danger than he’s probably already in.

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I try to tell them.

I can hear Dick still on the other end of my cell phone that’s in my hand. He’s saying something to Barbara, but I don’t have time to focus on their discussion. These two guys are trying to intimidate and scare me right now. I have to pretend that it’s working or they’ll know that something is wrong here.

Connor closes the distance between us, waving his gun in my face in order to get his point across before putting the barrel against my temple. “Keep your mouth shut about Declan MacCaffrey or we will hunt you down and kill you,” he growls in an effort to scare me. All it does is further ignite my anger at that moment, making it more than difficult to not react like I’ve been trained all my life to do.

I would love nothing more than that to snatch that gun out of his hand, crushing it and allowing the dust to slip through my fingers before beating them senseless. Instead, I force tears to form and brim in my eyes, making them believe that I’m terrified. 

“Please…just don’t shoot me. I don’t want to die,” I tearfully beg them.

“Then refuse to testify against MacCaffrey,” he tells me. “If you testify, we will find you and we will kill you.”

Channeling my fury, I allow the tears to escape, slipping down my face. “I’ll do whatever you want…just please…don’t kill me.”

Trevor pulls at Connor’s arm as he anxiously looks about, clearly anxious about getting caught out here in daylight. Connor glances at him before shoving his gun back into my face. “You’ve been warned,” he grounds out, cocking the gun. “Don’t make us come after you again. It won’t be pleasant.”

With that, Trevor and Connor take off, slipping between vehicles and disappearing from sight just as quickly as they had appeared. I want to chase after them, but I know that I can’t. Everything that I’ve been through to protect Bruce’s secret identity as well as my own would be all for nothing. It could also make things worse for Bruce if they make a connection between us.

I suddenly realize that Dick is shouting my name, the panic in his voice unmistakable. “I’m here…I’m here,” I attempt to reassure him as I get into my SUV. “I’m okay, Dick.”

“What the hell happened?” he angrily demands to know, reminding me so much of Bruce at that moment.

“Trevor and Connor just threatened me,” I inform him.

“I heard that part,” he angrily snaps. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m fine, Dick…really,” I tell him, sinking back against my car seat. “They were just trying to scare me into not testifying against Declan at his trial.”

“I don’t like this,” Dick states, his mind clearly working through this development.

“It’s nothing,” I insist. “I can handle these two. Right now, we just need to focus on finding Bruce and ending this once and for all.”

“You’re not going out anymore as Diana Prince,” he orders me, his voice broking no room for argument.

I instantly bristle with his words, angered wtih him telling me what to do. “You cannot order me around,” I bite out. “I will do whatever I have to do in order to find Bruce. If that means Diana Prince gets threatened then so be it, but I will not run away and hide like some coward.”

An extended stretch of silence follows my tirade as I start my car and begin to drive away. A long sigh fills my ear and I know that I’ve gotten my point across. “I’m sorry, Diana,” he softly says. “I know this hasn’t been easy for you with Bruce missing. Just please promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t want to have to tell Bruce when I find him that you—”

“I know,” I interject, stopping him from finishing his sentence. “You won’t have to. I can take care of myself, Dick. Besides, I would never do anything to jeopardize my secret identity or any of yours. You all mean far too much to me to put you in danger.”

“I know…I know,” he agrees. “Bruce wanted me to watch out for you in his absence. He would go ballistic if he knew you were being threatened like this again.”

“I appreciate your concern, Dick, but Bruce worries far more than he needs to,” I point out. “He’s going to give himself a ulcer.”

“It’s only because he loves you so much,” he reminds me, dispelling a measure of my anger. “I fear to think of what would become of him if something happened to you again. He barely survived the last time.”

“I’m on my way home now,” I say, glancing back in my review mirror to see if I’m being followed. “We’ll talk when I get there. Have you and Barbara been able to find anything more?”

“Maybe,” he reveals. “We’re going to go visit a GU employee tonight.”

“Which one?”

“Hector Ortiz,” he divulges.

“Has Ethan Prescott called at all?”

“Yah, he called this afternoon,” Dick replies. “Alfred told him that Bruce was still trying to find Emily. I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to keep him out of this. Alfred talked him out of coming to Gotham to help look for her.”

“We can hardly blame him,” I softly say. “His loved one is missing. He’s going out of his mind with worry. I can relate.”

“We’ll find them both, Diana,” he reassures me.

“Yes, we will,” I agree. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Yah, hurry home and be safe,” he responds.

“I will,” I promise him before ending the call and tossing my cell phone into the passenger seat, troublesome thoughts of Bruce storming through my mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, sorry if the ice skating scene was dorky or cheesy, but I loved it and I just couldn't help myself. I also loved the present part. It really shows Diana regaining a piece of herself that she thought she'd lost. Love how it all come together and how Dick is watching out for her for Bruce.
> 
> UP NEXT: Green Lantern confronts Diana after a training session. In the present, Nemesis and Nightwing are on the move and things go down in a big way. Buckle up, readers, because things are going to be hell on wheels from here on out! :)


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

_**Watchtower; February 28th, 14:23 EST** _

_I watch as Hawk and Dove team up against Luthor in order to take him down, Hawk attacking from the front and Dove from the back. They were already proving to me that I’d been correct about pushing for their invitation into the League, showing how well they work together._

_Bruce hadn’t been the least bit interested in allowing them to join. Unfortunately for him, he’d lost our sparring match, forced to accept my choice even if it was a reluctant acceptance on his part. I am more than anxious to point out to him that I was right when I see him later today._

_I jot down a couple of notes that I want to review with them later before turning my full attention to Supergirl who is currently tangling with Bizzaro. Even though she is Kal’s cousin, I’m not about to go easy on her. We need all of our new recruits to be fully capable and ready in any given situation, working as a cohesive unit without having to worry about them causing unnecessary distractions._

_I cast a sidelong glance at John standing to my right, his focus also on Supergirl. His arms are folded against his chest, his expression set in that hardcore military way of his that reveals absolutely nothing about what he’s actually thinking in that moment._

_Ever since the days of him calling me the “Rookie in the Tiara”, I’ve learned quite a bit about the former Marine, eventually earning my respect. He’s tough but fair, extremely disciplined in a way that mirrors the values of the Amazons. Thankfully, he’s dropped the nickname since those early days._

_It’s our turn to work with the new recruits, going through training exercises and making sure they’re prepared for missions. Actually, Bruce was supposed to be here this afternoon with John, but it’s far easier for me to get away from work than it is for him so I took his shift for him._

_I swear I can still feel the tingle on my lips from the smoldering kiss that I’d received from him this morning in gratitude. When he kisses me like that, I swear that I can feel my insides grow warm and my legs boneless. The problem is I think he knows exactly what he does to me when he kisses me like that. Curse the man._

_I push him from my thoughts as I focus on Supergirl who is currently flying circles around Bizzaro. Growing annoyed, he abruptly reaches out and grabs her by the throat with a fierce growl. “Bizarro likes you,” he yells._

_He suddenly throws her down on the ground, pinning her there with the heel of his boot on her abdomen. She struggles to break free, but finds it near impossible when her opponent matches her in strength. He leans over her, baring his teeth at her._

_The longer that she’s trapped there, the angrier that I feel myself become. Kara tries to break free by slamming her fists into his leg, but he merely presses down harder in response, gloating about beating her. Antagonizing Bizzaro is clearly not working as she kicks her legs and yells at him._

_I feel my fury growing hotter the longer I watch her being dominated by Bizzaro, the way that he picks her up by the throat again and repeatedly slams her against the side of a building. Memories of Callahan man-handling me and brutalizing me flash through my mind like bolts of lightning, reminding me of the humiliation and shame that I had endured because of that man._

_Without a second thought, I fly at Bizarro like a missile, plowing straight into him and forcing him to release Kara. I quickly stand to my feet, slamming my fist into Bizarro who is charging directly at me now. He flies backwards into a wall, pieces of brick and mortar crumbling down on top of him._

_“Computer!” I yell as I stand to my feet. “Stop assimilation training.”_

_I turn around to glare at Kara who is standing behind me, an irritated expression gracing her face. “I had him,” she tries to tell me._

_“Hawk…Dove…” John yells. “Hit the showers. We’re done for today.”_

_Closing the distance between us, I can feel my ire running in hot waves beneath my skin. “You did not have him,” I angrily counter, grinding out the words through clenched teeth. “He had you pinned to the ground. You never let the enemy get the upper hand on you like that. You have to fight with everything you have.”_

_“I was,” Kara insisted, equally angry. “You didn’t give me a chance to fight back.”_

_“I gave you plenty of time,” I snap. “You can’t allow yourself to become a helpless victim like that. You need to start proving you can be on this team.”_

_“I can do this,” Kara bites out, refusing to back down._

_“It didn’t look like it,” I counter, glaring at the young superhero. “You can’t let the enemy gain the upper hand on you.”_

_“Okay, that’s enough for today,” John interrupts us before I can say any more. “We’ll start again tomorrow afternoon.”_

_Kara glares at me for several moments longer before glancing at John who is immoveable in his stance. “Fine,” she grumbles before turning and flying out of the training room._

_I force myself to uncurl my fingers from the tight fists at my sides as I turn my attention to John. “I had it handled,” I tell him, unhappy with his interference._

_“Diana,” he says with a measure of gentleness that is not something I typically hear from him and I know what is coming. “You were pretty harsh with her.”_

_“I was trying to teach her,” I counter. “She needs to be prepared for every eventuality out there in the field. She can’t depend on others to save her if she gets into trouble.”_

_“I realize that, but—”_

_“No ‘buts’, John,” I icily state. “If Kara can’t handle it, then she doesn’t need to be a part of the Justice League. She’ll only end up being a detriment if we constantly have to watch out for her or rescue her.”_

_He studies me for a long moment as if weighing his words as I stare him down; practically daring him to bring up my past abduction as the reason I’m being so hard on her. I can see the concern swimming in his eyes, fearing that I’m about to break._

_“Diana, I really think you need to talk to Bruce or J’onn,” he tells me._

_I bristle with his suggestion, knowing where this is going. “I’m fine, John,” I curtly reply._

_“No, you’re not,” he insists, unwilling to back down and let it go. “I was in the Marines, Diana. I know PTSD when I see it.”_

_“I don’t have post-traumatic stress syndrome,” I argue. “Yes, I was abducted, but it’s over and I’m fine now. There’s nothing more to discuss.”_

_“You weren’t just abducted,” he states, his voice growing more determined. “You were brutally tortured, assaulted, and deprived of food and water for days on end. No one, not even an Amazon, can walk away from something like that and not be affected by it.”_

_“I don’t want to talk about this,” I snap, turning away from him to retrieve my clipboard._

_“There is no shame in admitting that you’re struggling with what happened to you,” John presses despite the fact that I don’t want to discuss this any longer. “If you don’t deal with this soon, it’s going to end up destroying you. I don’t want to see that happen to you, Diana.”_

_“I appreciate your concern, but it’s sorely misplaced,” I tell him._

_“We all care about you, Diana,” John tells me, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “Please, just think about talking to someone.”_

_I fight my every instinct to break every bone in his hand for touching me, clenching my jaw as I draw a deep breath in an attempt to calm my anger. “Thank you, but it’s not necessary.”_

_“Diana—” he tries again, but I don’t let him._

_I mutter a Greek curse before turning and stalking away, leaving him standing there. I don’t have time to play these games nor do I have the patience any longer to be treated like I’m some priceless vase about to shatter. I’m sick of everyone looking at me like I’m damaged and broken._

_I’m not a victim or some damsel in distress. It was my decision to allow those men to take me that night in order to protect Bruce and his family and I alone will live with the consequences of that decision. I just wish everyone would let me move on from it and treat me like the Diana I was before._

_Storming through the hallways of the Watchtower, I begin to make my way back to my quarters, anxious to get away from everyone and just be alone for a little while. Unfortunately, Kal decides now is the best time to try to talk to me about Kara._

_“What happened?” he asks with a frown as he approaches me._

_I can tell he’s already taking his cousin’s side without even hearing what I have to say. “Don’t start with me, Kal,” I bite his head off. “Kara failed her training session. End of story.”_

_I push past him only to have him grab my arm, forcing me to stop. I turn on him with a glower on my face, my fist pulled back in preparation for an attack. His expression immediately softens as his hand fall from my shoulder._

_“Hey, talk to me, Diana,” he says, his tone much kinder than when he first greeted me. “I just want to know what happened. I’m not taking anyone’s side.”_

_My chest is heaving with the fury pounding through me, but I try to suppress it as I lower my fist. I’m stunned by the fact that I was ready to hit my best friend over something as insignificant as this. I swallow hard as I take a couple of steps back to give myself a little breathing room._

_“Bizarro was man-handling Kara,” I inform him. “I stepped in and put a stop to it. I told Kara that she needed to be prepared for facing her enemy, to never let them turn you into a victim.”_

_He seemed to weigh my words for a moment before slowly nodding his head. “All right,” he says. “That’s all I needed to know.”_

_“I’m not going to go easy on her just because she’s your cousin, Kal,” I tell him. “She needs to be just as prepared as the other new recruits. It’s imperative that all of them are ready at any given moment for what they’re going to face out there.”_

_“I couldn’t agree more, Di,” he reassures me. “I really appreciate it. I don’t want you to go easy on her just because she’s my cousin. She needs to learn now before she’s faced with it out in the field.”_

_I’m not certain if he really agrees with me or if he’s just trying to placate me in order to keep me from losing it right here. There’s something in his eye that makes me wonder. I have no doubt that he’ll talk to John next to get his point of view before talking to Bruce about their concerns._

_Just because Bruce and I are dating doesn’t mean that everyone needs to run to him every time something happens that involves me. I am my own person, separate from Bruce, an Amazon warrior who can take care of herself regardless of what everone else seems to think._

_“Thank you,” I murmur with a frown, deciding to let it go for now. I just want to get a shower and return to the manor._

_“I need to return to Metropolis, but maybe we can meet up later this week for lunch,” he suggests. “I haven’t gotten to spend very much time with you. Maybe we can discuss some things that Kara can work on.”_

_“I’ll check my schedule and let you know,” I agree. “I’ll see you later.”_

_He stands there for a moment as I begin to walk away. “Diana, I’m always here for you if you ever need to talk,” he tells me._

_“I know,” I reply as I glance over my shoulder, needing to get away from here._

_I quicken my stride to my quarters, sagging against the door after it slides closed. I don’t know how much more of this hovering and worrying over me I can take. I can’t even express my opinions or give criticism to a rookie without being viewed as needing help._

_I softly bang the back of my head against the door a couple of times, trying to will my body to move, but I’m just so tired. The lack of sleep over the last several months is catching up to me, making it more than difficult to get through the day at times._

_What’s worse is that another girl has gone missing in Gotham. Ally Parker was taken last night, disappearing from campus during a late night run. I feel hot tears begin to build behind my eyes, raw anger creeping up my throat, but I can’t let it. I must remain in control._

_I know Bruce is beside himself with worry over this case, his fury and frustration growing with every new abduction that takes place. He takes it all so personally as if he knows these girls but it’s only because it’s Gotham. His city, his people, his fault._

_I feel so helpless to do anything to help him or to help these girls. Bruce will only allow me to work on the case from the safety of the cave, refusing to allow me to join him on patrol. I’ve considered going out into Gotham anyway, but I can’t break his trust._

_I finally pull myself away from the door, stripping out of my uniform and boots, setting my tiara and lasso on the bedside table before heading to my shower. Standing under the showerhead, I run my fingers through my hair, allowing the hot water to soothe away a measure of my stress, but I can’t help wishing that Bruce was here with me now._

_I know he wants to take things slow between us, fearing that entering into a physical relationship right now will only cause flashbacks and trauma, but I need him. I need to feel his body and know his touch. I want to be with him in every way, for him to express every bit of what beats in his heart for me._

_I need to feel something other than the humiliation and shame that constantly whispers in my ear, telling me that I’ll never be whole again…I’ll never be me. I want to be rid of the steady river of rage that constantly courses through me, ready to implode inside of me at any given moment._

_Maybe he’s right…maybe it is too soon, but we’ll never know unless we try._

**PRESENT DAY**

_**Gotham; April 11th, 22:46 EST** _

Sitting in the passenger seat of the Batmobile, I try my best to rally against the exhaustion that makes my eyelids grow heavy. Months of limited sleep and unrelenting nightmares have finally caught up with me. The last time I saw my bed was four nights ago.

I know that I should try to get some sleep even for a short time, but I can’t. I’m afraid to close my eyes, knowing what will greet me when I fall asleep. Besides, I can’t rest knowing that Bruce is out there somewhere in trouble and I can’t get to him.

My stomach churns and roils with the thought, remembering the large pool of blood I’d found on the floor of Bruce’s hideout as well as the pile of bloody gauze. Dick had tested it, proving that it was Bruce’s blood. It only magnified my panic and frustration, my anger rising to near unbearable levels.

I stare at Hector Ortiz’s home, wishing that he would make some sort of move so we could find Bruce tonight. I can’t go another night without knowing where he is, without being able to wrap my arms around him and feel his heart beating against mine.

The driver’s side door opens, Nightwing slipping inside and handing me a large cup of coffee. “Thought you could use some caffeine,” he tells me. “I know I could use some.”

“Thanks,” I murmur, my mind still storming with turmoil-filled thoughts involving Bruce.

What are they doing to him right now? Is he even still alive?

I feel a hand on my forearm, drawing me back to the car that we’re sitting in. “Don’t go there, Diana,” he warns me. “You’ll only drive yourself crazy. It nearly drove Bruce mad when you were taken.”

“I just can’t help it,” I reply with a frown, pausing to take a sip of my coffee. “Hera only knows what could be happening to him right now…if he’s even still alive.”

“He’s alive,” Dick firmly states, staring straight ahead at the house we’re currently watching. “Bruce never gives up.”

“I know…I’m sorry,” I softly say.

The tension that fills the car seems to dissipate somewhat as we silently sit and wait. The minutes feel as though they’re slipping by slower and slower as I glance at the clock to find the red numbers have barely changed. We’ve been sitting here for well over an hour, Dick leaving to run a quick errand that turned out to be a coffee run.

Taking a drink, I savor the strong taste of the Colombian brew, the hot liquid that slips down my throat. I don’t even think coffee can help keep me awake for much longer. I’m going to have to get some sleep at some point or risk a sloppy mistake. So far, I’ve been able to cover my fatigue for the most part, but it won’t last. Even an Amazon blessed by the gods needs sleep after getting so little the last few months.

I was able to catch snatches of restful sleep the times that Bruce slept in my bed with me, holding me close as we held the nightmares at bay for one another. I need him with me again, need his strength…his quiet confidence that he so naturally exudes.

Of course, that confidence isn’t always so quiet. More times than not it comes out in a derisive statement or a barked order that oozes arrogance and prickles everyone’s pride. I know for me it’s stirred up more than one argument between us, rankling me. He’s never backed down from me despite my royal status or Meta abilities, never afraid to go toe-to-toe with me. He’s always challenging me and my beliefs, never cowed by me.

It’s what first attracted me to him. Despite his curt demeanor and supercilious attitude…the anger that he tends to stir up in me and his teammates, he has always been able to back it up, never letting us down and coming through for us time and time again.

He has always been there for me, always nearby when I needed backup. He never gave up on finding me when I’d been abducted and I will not fail him now. I love him and he doesn’t even know it yet, but I’m going to make everything right again when I find him.

My lips curl slightly as I remember the little romantic things that he has done for me, actions so incongruent with the fearsome Batman and the playboy fop Bruce Wayne. It’s those moments where I’ve gotten to see the real Bruce, the man behind all the masks that he’s forced to wear.

“Looks like we’ve got movement,” Nightwing announces.

I set my coffee in the cup holder, sitting up straighter in my seat. Finally, we’re getting somewhere. “Let’s just hope that he leads us to Bruce,” I murmur as I watch Hector Ortiz exit his house and get into his car.

“Wherever he’s going at this time of night is not any place good,” Dick mutters as he carefully followed him from a distance, hitting the comm button on the console. “Robin, we’re on the move. Check out the house and see what you can find.”

“Already picking the lock on the back door,” Robin informs him.

“Good,” Dick replies. “Let us know if you find anything.”

“Roger that…Robin out.”

We follow Ortiz for several minutes, my mind racing to figure out exactly where he is going. I thought for sure that he would be heading to the Gotham University campus, but he’s going the wrong direction for that to be his destination. It makes my heart sink, thinking now that he might not be involved in the sex ring.

I insistently tap my fingers against the middle console, the tension that has seeped into my every muscle building. I was prepared for a fight tonight, prepared to be taken directly to the heart of the sex trading ring and to where they’re keeping Bruce.

“Where do you think he’s going?” I ask, growing more anxious with every minute that ticks by.

“I have no idea,” Dick mutters, keeping a close eye on the car several car lengths ahead of us. “He’s definitely not headed where I thought he was going.”

“What did Oracle find on him?”

“She finally got a hold of Kozak’s cell phone records,” he reveals. “There was a phone number that frequently came up at odd hours of the night. She tracked the phone’s owner to Hector Ortiz’s grandmother.”

“His grandmother?” I question him, afraid to take my eyes off Ortiz’s car for fear our prey would somehow disappear into thin air.

“Yes…his dead grandmother,” Dick clarifies as he pulls the Batmobile to a stop.

“That’s not suspicious,” I sarcastically reply as we watch Hector get out of his car outside of a convenience store.

He looks around for a long moment as if sensing that he’s being followed, pausing to check his cell phone before finally turning and entering the store. “If this turns out to be nothing more than a beer run, I’m going to be pissed,” Dick grumbles as we wait for him to emerge from the store.

I share his sentiment, but I’m far too tense to respond at this moment. I feel as though I’m teetering on a razor-sharp knife’s edge, pinning all my hopes on the actions of this reprehensible animal in order to find the man that I love. It was excruciating to say the least, but I will gladly bear it if it means getting Bruce safely back where he belongs.

My fingers curl into my palms as we wait, my breathing shallow. I’m almost afraid to draw a full breath for fear I’ll inadvertently give away our presence, spooking the closest thing we have to a full-blown lead to where Bruce is being held. 

After what feels like an eternity, Ortiz emerges from the convenience store, a pack of cigarettes in hand. He rips the wrapper off, tossing it on the ground as he makes his way to his car. He takes out a cigarette, putting it to his lips and lighting it before getting into his car.

“Finally,” I mutter with a frown.

I feel like my heart is about to beat right out of my chest as we begin to follow him again, carefully keeping our distance. I’m sure that Dick is probably feeling the same way, but he’s doing a far better job of masking his anxiety than I am at this point. I feel like I’m about to vibrate right out of my seat with the overwhelming tension that permeates every inch of me.

“We’ll find him, Diana,” he reassures me. “It might not be tonight, but we will find him. I promise you that.”

“I know,” I breathily agree, doing my best to keep the tremors I feel roiling through me from reaching my voice.

I draw a deep breath, momentarily closing my eyes as I focus the anxious energy pulsating through me into battle readiness. I tap into every ounce of my warrior training, willing myself into a sense of calm in order to bring Bruce home tonight.

Opening my eyes, I feel my heart rate calming, my mind focusing on the task ahead. Desperation still lingers in the periphery, clinging to me despite my best efforts, but I feel a little bit more in control over my anxiety to get to Bruce. I can better use these emotions…control them instead of them controlling me.

 

_“Again,” Phillipus barks at me. “You are not focusing.”_

_I grind my teeth in building fury, sweat trickling down my back and chest. I blow a raven curl out of my line of sight, tightening my grip on my spear and shield. “I am focused,” I grind out the words._

_“No, you are angry,” Phillipus tells me. “Your mind is consumed with things other than the battle.”_

_“This is not a battle,” I acerbically point out, raising my shield to block her attack. “This is a training exercise.”_

_“You must face everything in life as if it is a battle no matter what it is,” Phillipus heatedly instructs me as she slowly circles me again. “Even the smallest of events can turn deadly in the blink of an eye, little princess. You must always be prepared…always on guard. You are an Amazon. You need to act and fight like one.”_

_Before I can form a scathing response, Phillipus attacks with a fierce vengeance, forcing me to be on the defensive. I grunt with the sheer strength behind her strike, practically hiding behind my shield to keep from being speared to death. It’s all I can do to keep a grip on my own weapon as she continues to push me further and further back._

_My rage continues to grow hotter with her every strike, my breathing ragged as something snaps in me. I’ve had more than enough of this. I focus every ounce of my fury, the frustration that swims through my veins. Even though I’m only fourteen, it’s time to show the General of the Amazons that I am not a child._

_With a roar of fury, I lower my shield and begin an attack of my own, momentarily taking her by surprise. I muster every bit of strength I can as I try to push my sudden advantage, throwing everything I have at her and using my anger as a strength instead of a deterrent._

_She blocks my strike at the last second, narrowly missing having a spear pierce her shoulder. It turns into a heated battle between us, each refusing to concede victory. Phillipus spins on her heel, performing a maneuver I’ve never seen before and handily forcing me to drop my spear._

_I swallow back the cry that rises in my throat, refusing to show the least bit of pain. I shake my hand in an effort to regain some semblance of feeling back into my fingers, ignoring the thin trickle of blood that drips from my fingertips as I glare hotly at my opponent with every bit of haughty anger that I can gather._

_Phillipus’s breathing is only slightly exerted unlike mine, but there is something gleaming in her eyes that hadn’t been there a few moments ago. It almost looks like…respect. She lowers her shield and spear, straightening her shoulders as she stares me down._

_“Very good, princess,” she states with a small nod._

_“What?” I bite out with a scowl. “No ‘little princess’?”_

_“No, you’ve finally begun to prove to me that you are on the road to becoming an adult,” she tells me with a slight upturn of her lips._

_I watch in stunned disbelief as she closes the distance between us, transferring her spear to her shield hand. She places her free hand on my shoulder, squeezing it slightly in a show of affection that I’ve rarely ever seen before._

_“The reason I push you so hard, princess, is because I believe that you are destined for great things,” she reveals. “I want you to be able to defend and protect not only yourself but your sisters. I refuse to be the reason that you lose your life…that you fail because I did not properly prepare you for every possible battle you might face. Getting you to focus your fury with me helped you to fight. Always use your emotions as a weapon, never let them control you.”_

_“Yes, Phillipus,” I softly reply, still taken aback by her words and swearing to myself that I’ll never forget the lesson that I learned this day._

 

I watch as Ortiz leaves the convenience store, wondering where he’s heading now. Even though I’ve lived in Gotham for over a year now, I’m still trying to find my way around this enormous city. I know that Ortiz is heading back towards his home, but he’s not taking the same route that he had taken to the convenience store. 

Something is definitely up and that’s when it hits me. He’s heading towards the Gotham University campus.

I feel bitter disappointment swimming in the pit of stomach, knowing that he’s returning to the campus instead of leading us to wherever they’re keeping Bruce and the girls. I’m itching to get my hands on him, to force him into divulging every bit of the information that we so desperately need right now.

“What are you up to?” Dick mutters to himself, his focus solely on Ortiz who is driving through the campus.

I fear that he’s only here to retrieve something that he left here at work, but I feel that fear beginning to ease as he pulls his car to a stop in a dark area of the campus near a line of trees. He looks around before taking off on foot, forcing us to leave the confines of the Batmobile to follow him.

We silently follow on foot, keeping a safe distance away from him, but keeping him in our sights. I fight against the urge to race after him and beat the information from him, knowing that we need to catch him in the act if we’re ever going to find out exactly what’s going on and how deeply he’s involved.

I watch as he stays to the shadows, surreptitiously evading the known security cameras scattered across the campus. I feel the corners of my lips curl slightly, my pulse racing now that we’re finally doing something to stop this sex trade ring. I feel like the goddess Artemis on the hunt for her prey, more than eager to put an end to this monster’s reign as well as whoever else is involved.

Dick silently puts his hand out, gently touching my forearm as Ortiz stops behind one of the campus buildings. He looks about, making sure that no one is around before pulling something from his coat pocket. He waits there in the shadows for what feels like an eternity, but is likely only about ten minutes.

A campus security car passes by at that moment, his headlights flashing brightly and piercing the darkness. Unfortunately, it doesn’t illuminate the predator hiding in the building’s protective shadows. In the distance, I can hear the jingle of keys as another security guard makes his rounds on foot, but I can tell he’s walking in the opposite direction.

Whoever Hector is waiting for has no hope of escape except for us.

At that moment, a girl walks out of the library, turning and waving goodbye to her boyfriend. “I’ll meet you here again tomorrow night,” she tells him.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to walk you to your dorm?” he asks her again.

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine,” she reassures him, kissing him on the lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Fine,” he relents, walking in the opposite direction of her.

Unsuspecting of what is lurking in the shadows, the blond-haired girl puts her earphones on before making her way on the dark path that runs alongside the library. It can hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears, my every muscle tense and ready to pounce the second he makes his move.

She passes by him without even realizing it, softly humming along to whatever song she’s listening to. He steps out of the shadows, coming up and grabbing her from behind. She tries to scream, but his hand is covering her mouth before she can make a sound that will give him away.

Nightwing and I are already racing towards them as Hector jams something into her neck, causing her to go limp. He looks up just in time to see Nightwing’s fist connecting with his face. Ortiz staggers back from the unexpected blow as I immediately reach for the girl, catching her before she can hit the ground.

Ortiz vainly swings his fist at Nightwing who is already on the attack with his Bo staffs, making quick work on the would-be kidnapper. “Oracle,” he calls on his commlink. “Get the GCPD and an ambulance to the library of the campus ASAP.”

Kneeling on the ground, I look down at the blond-haired girl in my arms, releasing a sigh of relief that we actually got to save one tonight. We were able to save her before she could become a victim. Glancing at Ortiz lying on the ground with a bloody nose, I know that we still have Bruce and the others to save…and I know we will one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, they are finally on the right track. Hopefully Ortiz will give them something to help them find Bruce and the girls!
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana have a heart-to-heart talk, but will Diana tell him what he wants to know. Also, Bruce's friend's daughter goes missing. In the present, Nemesis and Nightwing get some valuable information from Ortiz, but what will they find when they get there?
> 
> Warning - things are really going to escalate from here on out so be prepared! :)


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

_**Wayne Manor; March 14th, 08:13 EST** _

_Running a brush through my hair for a final time, I check my appearance in the mirror. I frown as I lightly run my fingers over my forearms, the skin red and marked with unsightly scratch marks that run deep. Shame instantly wells up inside of me as I wish for the millionth time that things were different…that I was different. Unfortunately, I fear I’ll never be me ever again._

_Going to my closet, I reach for my red cardigan sweater, slipping it on before retrieving my glasses from my nightstand. I run my fingers through my hair a couple of times before pulling it up into a twist and clipping it in place. Satisfied with my look, I head towards the door, ready to take on another day._

_Heading downstairs, I prepare myself for the next hurdle that awaits me in the form of a very handsome billionaire…namely Bruce Wayne._

_Things between us have been rather strained lately. Despite how close we became Valentine’s night when he shared something very close to his heart with me, it feels as though there’s a chasm that continues to widen between us that I can’t begin to cross in order to reach him._

_He’s been withdrawing from me, closing himself off a little more each day. He’s been sequestering himself to his cave, spending endless hours down there working on cases. Any free time he has is being devoted to the kidnapping case and Gotham. While I want him to solve this case and find these missing girls as soon as possible, I can’t deny the loneliness and hurt that his absence has generated._

_He insists that he’s fine and that he can handle this case, but I know that these missing girls are affecting him far deeper than he lets on, hitting far too close to home. I can see the exhaustion in his face, the fear that lingers in his blue eyes when he looks at me as if afraid that I’m going to be taken away from him again._

_I’m not sure if it’s that fear that is causing him to pull away from me or the fact that he doesn’t feel that I’m handling the trauma from my abduction very well. I overheard Bruce and Kal talking about me yesterday before the Founders’ Meeting, both expressing their growing worry about me._

_They feel that I’m throwing myself into dangerous situations without waiting for backup and purposefully trying to injure myself on missions. It’s completely ludicrous, but I know trying to convince them otherwise is nothing more than wasted breath and time._

_It’s their perception of me that has drastically changed since my kidnapping, not the way that I perform my duties. I may not be the same woman that I was before my encounter with Ian Callahan, but I can still be Wonder Woman…be the heroine that the world and my friends need me to be. I just have to find a way to prove myself to them and I know that I will one way or another._

_Entering the kitchen, I find Bruce hiding behind his newspaper. Tim is already gone and Alfred is making my favorite omelet. I don’t have the heart to tell him that I’m not hungry this morning. The dear man has done everything he can possibly think of in order to get me to eat, making my favorite dishes and even going so far as recreating Greek dishes from my homeland. I know my appetite will eventually return once the nightmares stop._

_“Good morning, Miss Diana,” Alfred cheerfully greets me with a warm smile. “You look quite lovely this morning if I may say so.”_

_“Thank you, Alfred,” I reply, sitting down at my usual place at the table to the left of Bruce._

_Bruce just barely peers over the top of his newspaper to glance at me, a grumbled “princess” my only greeting from him this morning. I force a smile to my face, refusing to let his paranoia and his incessant need to worry about me ruin my morning. Not this time, Bruce Wayne._

_Reaching over, I crush his newspaper in one shift motion, completely taking him by surprise if his expression is any indication. Before he can utter a single curse at me, I lean in and crush my lips against his, kissing him passionately and effectively erasing any retort that might have been forming in his mind._

_I can feel his hand coming to rest against my cheek as my tongue thoroughly explores his mouth, leaving him breathless as well as speechless as I finally settle back into my seat with a satisfied smirk on my face. “Good morning, Bruce,” I murmur with a sultry lilt to my voice._

_I glance at Alfred to find him biting at his bottom lip in an effort to stifle the amusement and approval that I can see shining in his eyes. He brings me my omelet, winking at me in silent support for my actions as Bruce tosses his now torn newspaper aside with a grumbled curse._

_Bruce takes a drink of his coffee as if trying to order his thoughts in his brain once more. He glances at me with a frown as I take a drink of my orange juice. “Don’t start something you’re not ready to finish, Princess,” he growls, shifting uncomfortably in his seat._

_I nearly choke on my juice, his words combined with the heated lust that permeates his piercing blue eyes causing a shiver to shoot up my spine. “I’m not the one who decided to wait,” I softly remind him, casting a fleeting glance at Alfred who has wisely decided to take this particular moment to make himself scarce._

_“When you’re finally ready to deal with what happened to you and talk to me about it, then we can revisit that decision,” he curtly informs me as he reaches for his coffee cup again._

_I instantly bristle with his words, hating the fact that he is the one imposing the terms of our relationship. This is supposed to be a partnership, not a dictatorship. “Maybe we can revisit your decision about waiting to be together when you allow me to actually have a voice in this relationship,” I bite out with a piercing glare._

_“You have always had a say in this relationship, but I refuse to take advantage of you when you’re not ready for physical intimacy, Diana,” he heatedly counters with an angry glare of his own, refusing to back down despite my palpable anger. “You have no idea how making love with someone you care about deeply affects you emotionally…mentally. It changes you. After what you’ve been through, I’m not sure you could handle it.”_

_“I’m not some ignorant child, Bruce,” I snap, offended with the way that he’s treating me. I’m not that naïve princess fresh off the island of Themyscira._

_He leans in close to me, his close proximity causing a momentary short-circuit in my brain as he gazes deeply into my eyes. “Can you honestly tell me that you could handle making love with me right now?” he questions me in that deep baritone that sends tingles through my body. “Could you handle me being on top of you, the weight of my body trapping you between me and the mattress as my hands and mouth explore every single inch of you? Could you handle the feel of me fully aroused as I push inside of you for the first time…the feel of me hot and hard inside of you…thrusting into you over and over again?”_

_His voice is low and husky as if every single word he utters is literally being torn from somewhere deep inside of him, making me realize just how long and hard he’s been wrestling with this decision he’s made to wait to be with me. I can see the torment mingled with lust in his eyes, the way his breaths are coming a little shorter…a little harder with just talking about making love to me._

_I feel a nervous flutter rise up inside of me, spreading through every inch of me before settling low and warm in my pelvis. My gaze falls to his lips, the flames of desire licking at my insides, but I also cannot deny the tremor of fear that ripples through me. Could I really handle being intimate with him?_

_Flashes of what both Callahan and MacCaffrey did to me take shape in my mind, causing my throat and chest to tighten. I can’t forget the feel of their hot breath against my skin, the press of their bodies against mine, their probing fingers and mouth, the bite of their teeth into my flesh. The haunting memories quickly steal my breath, a shudder enveloping me._

_As if reading the answer to his questions in my eyes, Bruce’s expression swiftly softens as he attempts to regain control once more, his hand caressing my jaw. “Diana, you have no idea what you do to me…how difficult it is to stay in control of my feelings for you,” he reveals, stunning me with his words. “I’m terrified that if I start to make love to you that I wouldn’t be able to stop myself if you need me to._

_“I can’t bear the thought of the most amazing moment we can possibly share together as a man and a woman ending with you in tears and hating me for what I did to you…terrified of my touch…of me. I refuse to cause you anymore trauma or pain then you’re already struggling to deal with. I could never forgive myself if that happened.”_

_“It’s getting better,” I attempt to convince him, but the quiver in my voice betrays me._

_“No, it’s not, Diana,” he tells me with a shake of his head. “You can’t even talk to me about what you went through or what they really did to you.”_

_I avert my eyes, his scrutinizing gaze boring through me in an attempt to peel back every layer in order to see what consumes my soul. He’d be shocked if he knew that there was nothing but darkness where light had once been, bitterness and rage and shame churning where compassion and grace had always resided._

_The feel of his hand covering mine brings me out of that room I’d been held hostage in and back to the kitchen at the manor. He gently caresses the back of my hand in an attempt to comfort me. “What did they do to you, princess?” he softly asks, his voice choked with raw emotion. “Did they rape you, Diana?”_

_My head snaps up to look at him, my breathing growing ragged. “No, I already told you they didn’t,” I heatedly insist, my jaw tightening with a renewed sense of fury._

_“Nothing they could have done to you would ever cause me to walk away from you,” he states. “I wish you would believe me.”_

_“I do believe you, Bruce,” I reply, pulling my hand free from his. “I already told you and Jim Gordon everything. There’s nothing more that I can tell you.”_

_He draws a deep breath, the expression on his face telling me that he doesn’t believe me. “You need to talk to J’onn if you aren’t going to talk to me,” he tells me, tucking his emotions safely behind the wall that’s been steadily building around him again. “You can’t keep going like this. You’re not sleeping, you’re barely eating. You’re still having nightmares. It’s not something you can deal with alone and you obviously won’t let me help you.”_

_Before I can form a response, Alfred reenters the kitchen. “I’m very sorry to intrude, but there is a phone call for you, Master Bruce.”_

_“Not now, Alfred,” he snaps._

_“I believe you need take this one,” Alfred insists._

_“Who is it?”_

_“It’s Mister Ethan Prescott, sir,” Alfred responds. “He seems rather insistent that he speak with you at once.”_

_“Ethan?” Bruce mutters as he pulls back from me, his forehead creasing with thought. “I wonder what he wants.”_

_Rising from his chair, he makes his way to the phone in the kitchen, picking it up. I take a few bites of my breakfast as he talks to this Ethan Prescott, my mind storming with the things that Bruce has said. I try not to listen in, but it quickly becomes apparent that this is not a social call. Bruce is rubbing his forehead, his shoulders bunched and his expression tense. It’s obvious that whatever is being discussed is quite upsetting to Bruce, making me worried about what could be wrong._

_“I’ll head there right now, Ethan,” he tells him, urgency lacing his voice. “No, it’s no problem at all. I’m more than happy to look into it for you…yes; I’ll call you as soon as I know anything…all right…goodbye.”_

_He hangs up the phone, clearly shaken by whatever it is that Ethan told him. “Bruce, what is it?” I ask as I stand to my feet, breakfast and our own problems quickly forgotten in the wake of someone else’s adversity._

_It’s a commonality that Bruce and I have always shared, constantly shoving aside our own problems and pain in order to help others. It’s one of the countless characteristics that we share, proving we’re more alike than many people think._

_“That was my friend Ethan Prescott,” he distractedly replies, his mind clearly trying to process what he’d just learned. “We grew up together, but he moved to California two years ago. His daughter Emily is a junior at Gotham University. He can’t reach her. He talked to her roommate this morning who said she never came home last night.”_

_“Bruce…” I softly murmur, my hand flying up to cover my mouth in an effort to stifle the sob that I can feel sticking in my throat. “You…you don’t think…”_

_My voice trails off, too afraid to put my fear into words. He doesn’t give me the chance to finish the horrifying thought. “I don’t know for certain, but I’m going to find out,” he tells me with that relentless determination of his burning darkly in his eyes. “I’m going to her apartment to see what I can find out.”_

_“I’m coming with you,” I tell him as I begin to follow him out of the kitchen._

_“No, I’ll check it out myself,” he insists, quickening his steps, pausing long enough to grab his coat and keys._

_I know he is single-minded in his focus to find his friend’s missing daughter, preferring to work this case alone like he has typically done in the past, but I’m not going to stand by and let him do this alone. This is affecting him far more than he’s willing to admit and I refuse to let him carry this weight alone no matter how deeply it’s affecting me._

_I just need to work that much harder at concealing my emotions, putting up a reassuring façade for everyone around me. It’s the only way to make my friends and Bruce stop worrying about me all the time, focusing on other things instead of me._

_“I’m going with you, Bruce,” I evenly state, my voice carrying all the regal authority that I can muster._

_His head snaps up to glower at me in that way that makes grown men want to weep, his hands fisting at his sides as his jaw tightens like a steel trap. I can see the scathing retort practically choking him in an effort to be voiced._

_“I have to do this myself, Diana,” he curtly snaps, turning on his heel as he heads towards his car._

_Watching him as he leaves, I wrap my arms around myself, holding myself together as I send up a silent prayer of protection for Emily to any of my gods who are still willing to listen to me. I feel my teeth dig into my bottom lip, wishing that Bruce would let me in._

_I know deep down, though, I’m just as guilty as he is…probably even more so._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 12th, 00:11 EST_ **

I pace back and forth outside of the interrogation room, my hands clenched tightly at my sides and my mind storming with unwanted thoughts. On the other side of the one-way glass sits Hector Ortiz, our best lead to finding Bruce and the missing female students.

While I’m sure that Scott St. James knows where they’re all being held, I doubt that St. James will get his hands dirty by showing his face there. Unlike Declan, he seems to be more content to sit back and let his soldiers handle things then personally overseeing every single operation he has his sticky fingers in.

We need to get our hands on the proof necessary to shut down St. James and his criminal activity. If Dick can get Ortiz to talk, then maybe we can finally locate Bruce and find all the missing girls no matter where they might be now.

I want to punch my fist through that one-way glass and fly in there to beat the information out of him. I can’t stand this waiting and not knowing, imagining all sorts of horrible things that they could be doing to Bruce and these poor girls.

“Hey, it’s the hot Bat-wannabe.”

I grind my teeth at the sound of his voice, looking up to see Detective Harvey Bullock coming towards me. “It’s Nemesis,” I grind out.

He holds both hands up as if to say he didn’t mean any harm, but I’m itching to beat something senseless and the rumpled-looking detective fits that bill right now. “Hey, no harm intended, babe,” he tells me.

I slowly stalk towards him, a sneer on my lips. “Don’t call me ‘babe’ or you’ll find out just how different I do things from the Batman and his clan,” I snap.

“Wow, you’re hot when you’re really mad,” Harvey replies. “Hope you’re sticking around for a while. I’ll show up to any crime scene you’re at.”

“Harvey!” Jim Gordon barks. “Don’t you have work you’re supposed to be doing?”

“Just keeping the new hot chick company,” Harvey says as he backs away from me with a lecherous smirk.

I turn my attention to Commissioner Gordon, ignoring the idiot detective scampering away. The grim expression on Jim’s face does absolutely nothing to settle my worry that is eating away at me. “Anything yet?” Gordon asks as he comes to stand before the glass, shoving his hands into his pants pockets.

“No, nothing yet,” I reply with a shake of my head.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” he reassures me. “Nightwing is just as good at this as Batman is.”

I swallow hard with the mention of Bruce, forcing my legs to move. I come to a stop beside Commissioner Gordon, folding my arms across my chest as I watch Nightwing interrogate Ortiz. He’s growing angrier by the minute with the lack of cooperation on Ortiz’s part. I’m afraid we’re not going to get anything useful out of him.

“I don’t think he’s going to talk,” I mutter, biting at my bottom lip as Dick gets in Ortiz’s face.

There’s a police officer standing at the door inside the interrogation room, not paying any attention to what is going on. It makes me wonder just how far they’re going to let Nightwing go with this before they step in and force him to stop.

I wish I had my lasso. With one quick move, I could have everything that I need to know, Ortiz spilling his guts without the slightest hesitation. Unfortunately, it is not considered to be a legal way of obtaining information. Not to mention, no one can know that I’m really Wonder Woman or it’ll endanger everyone involved.

“I’m giving him a little leeway with this,” Gordon informs me. “Nothing that will break the law of course, but I’m also not going to go running in there to stop him. We need to shut these animals down before anymore students are taken.”

“I just hope we can shut it down yet tonight,” I reveal.

“Has Batman been able to uncover anything useless yet?” he tentatively asks.

“Not yet,” I evenly state. “He’s gone silent for now so we haven’t been able to communicate with him for several days now.”

“Undercover?”

“Yes,” I confirm, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. “That’s why it’s even more imperative that we find where they’re keeping these girls.”

“Don’t worry, Nemesis,” he tells me. “Batman is the toughest son of a gun I’ve ever known. No matter how dire the situation, he always manages to find a way out of it. I swear he’s more like a cat who has nine lives than a bat.”

I internally cringe with his words. I try not to think of the implications of Bruce being more like his ex-lover Catwoman. I don’t want to travel down that jealousy-laced road right now. Bruce has had past relationships with several women. It’s a fact that I can’t let myself dwell on or I’ll drive myself crazy. 

Still, I can’t help worrying that I’ll end up another addition to that lengthy list of broken relationships. The way things were between us before he left has me more than a little worried, anxious to make things right between us and repair the damage I’ve done by refusing to open up to him.

It strikes me as odd that the one thing that has always driven me to distraction about Bruce is the very thing that I’ve been guilty of for the last six months. The trauma and trying to learn to deal and cope with the aftermath of it has opened my eyes and helped me understand the never-ending struggle that Bruce deals with on a daily basis. It amazes me, my love for him expanding exponentially with the realization.

It reminds me of what he said to me almost two weeks ago on the platform in the Batcave after he took me off the case. 

_“Why do you think I’m telling you to stop?”_

He knows all too well the destructive nature of trying to keep the pain and rage bottled up inside, trying to perform an impossible balancing act. It’s a constant war between heart and mind, the darkness that consumes your soul and the logic in your mind trying to tell you this isn’t right…this isn’t who you are.

The sheer amount of self-control that Bruce possesses in order to keep from losing his mind or his soul to the darkness causes my respect for him to grow even more. It has opened my eyes to a whole new aspect of him that I had never paid much attention to or had just chalked up to obstinacy or one of his idiosyncrasies.

Hera, I miss him so much I can hardly breathe at times.

“I will not ask you again, Hector,” Nightwing’s fierce growl echoes from the speaker on the wall, intruding on my thoughts. “Where are the girls being held?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ortiz insists. He’s leaning back in his chair, arms crossed and expression defiant as he glares at Nightwing. “I have nothing to do with the missing students.”

“So you just happened to be on campus hiding in the dark and waiting for the first girl that comes by…one that just happens to have blond hair and blue eyes just like all the other missing girls?”

“I’m not saying another word,” he sneers.

Before I can draw my next breath, Nightwing grabs him by the front of his shirt, hauling him up and out of his chair and pinning him against the wall. “I think you have a lot to tell me,” he growls with a ferocity that takes me by surprise.

I’ve only ever seen the lighthearted, jovial hero these last few days despite being worried about Bruce. This is the first time I’ve gotten to see the furious son who is trying to find his father before it’s too late. It’s a rather impressive sight to see, one that I’m sure Bruce would be quite proud of.

The policeman standing guard at the door doesn’t even flinch as Nightwing presses Ortiz against the wall nor does Commissioner Gordon move. Hopefully, we’ll finally get somewhere with this now instead of this cat and mouse game that’s been dragging on forever.

Nightwing’s face is just scant inches away from Hector’s, his breathing ragged with fury as he grits his teeth. “Now, I’m going to ask you again,” he hisses. “Where are the missing girls being held?”

“If I tell you, they’ll kill me!” he sputters, struggling against Nightwing’s hold on him. His flippant attitude suddenly disappears as he stares into the face of an irate Nightwing.

“We can protect you,” Nightwing attempts to reassure him.

“No, you can’t,” Ortiz insists, real fear swimming in his eyes. “There’s no place on Earth that’s safe from these guys.”

“It’s the Irish Mafia, isn’t it?”

Hector’s eyes fall closed and it’s the only confirmation that I need that Declan MacCaffrey and Scott St. James have been behind this from the beginning. Even from prison, Declan has been able to run his criminal activities and keep a firm hold on Gotham.

Scott St. James may be the new head of the Irish Mafia in his uncle’s absence, but Declan still has a firm grasp on his empire. It makes my blood boil with undulating waves of rage to think that that sadistic monster is still causing great pain from his prison cell, these women being assaulted and sold as sex slaves because of him.

“Hector, where are they running the trade ring out of?” Nightwing grounds out the words as if chewing on broken glass, his patience clearly wearing thin as he tightens his hold on him.

“I’ll tell you everything you need to know, but you gotta put me in protective custody,” he demands. “I also want to make a deal with the DA.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Nightwing tells him. “Now, where are they?”

“Ecstasy Motel,” Hector Ortiz reveals, causing my breath to stick in my throat.

“Where at the motel?”

“Room thirteen,” he reveals. “It’s where we take all the girls after kidnapping them.”

“Have we got anything substantial yet?”

I turn at the sound of Jason’s voice, stunned to see him here. I really shouldn’t be, but I can’t help tensing even more with his presence, hoping that he doesn’t recognize me. I turn my back to him, keeping my attention fixed on Ortiz and Nightwing.

“We’ve finally got a location, but he wants to make a deal before giving up any more information,” Jim informs him.

“Who is she?” Jason asks.

“This is Nemesis,” Jim introduces me. “She works with Batman.”

I turn and tip my head slightly, not willing to speak to him unless I absolutely must. He stares at me for a long moment, his eyes narrowing, but he doesn’t seem inclined to question my presence at the moment. “I’m willing to do whatever we need to in order to find these girls and shut them down.”

I feel myself relax a little, knowing that Jason is willing to work with Ortiz to get as much information as possible. Right now, though, I’m growing desperate to get out of here and get to that motel as soon as possible in order to find Bruce and the girls.

Nightwing releases Ortiz before exiting the interrogation room. Ignoring Trask, Nightwing turns to Jim and me. “Nemesis and I are going to check out this motel,” he tells us.

“Do you think he’s telling you the truth?” Jim questions him.

“I’m not sure,” Nightwing reveals with a sigh. “That’s why I want to check it out first before having the police descend on it. If they catch wind the police are there, things could get very ugly very quick.”

“I agree,” Jim replies much to my surprise. “I’ll have units on standby ready to back you two up.”

“I don’t like this,” Jason states, glaring at Nightwing. “The police need to be the ones to handle this, not vigilantes.”

“Fine,” Nightwing snaps as he turns to face Trask. “Then handle it your way. Just don’t come crying to us when everyone ends up dead.”

Jim steps in to smother the building tension. “Look, I want to contain this as much as possible and limit the injuries. If Nightwing and Nemesis can sneak in and stop this without casualties, then I’m all for it. My men will be there to back them up.”

“Let me know if you get anything useful out of Ortiz,” Nightwing tells Gordon as we begin to walk away.

I quicken my pace as we leave, relieved to finally be out of the GCPD and on our way to finding Bruce. I can hear Jason arguing with Jim, but his pleas are thankfully falling on deaf ears. Having Commissioner Gordon’s support means everything at this point.

There is no way I can sit back and let someone else do this. I need to be there, to help find them. “You think he’s sending us on a wild goose chase?”

“Maybe,” Nightwing states as we get into the Batmobile. “We need to check it out, but just don’t get your hopes up, Diana. There’s a very real chance he’s lying or that Bruce isn’t being held there.”

“I know that,” I snap as we race through the streets of Gotham, my heart in my throat. “I just want to get there so we can find out where they’re really being held.”

“It just doesn’t make sense that they would hold all these girls in a motel room,” Dick surmises. “It wouldn’t be nearly large enough. Not to mention, it would draw way too much attention with the people that would be coming and going from there.”

“I thought of that too,” I softly concede.

We spend the rest of the drive lost in our own thoughts, both of us fearing the worse but neither of us willing to voice it. What if this is where Bruce really is…where he died? The thought makes me ill to my core, forcing me to swallow back the acrid bile that rises in the back of my throat.

Seeing the sign for the Ecstasy Motel does nothing to settle my nerves, but I’ll bend them to my will. We park in the shadows behind a line of dumpsters. Nightwing and I exit, both of us attempting to prepare ourselves for anything as we silently approach.

I spot the room number we’re looking for at the back of the hotel off of a side alley, making it the perfect spot to come and go without attracting very much attention. I silently point to it, Nightwing nodding his head in acknowledgment as he reaches for his Bo staffs. 

I scan the area, hoping that we can get in there before anyone spots us. With any luck, we’ll be able to capture Trevor and Connor Mills in the middle of all of this as well as Scott St. James. I swear to myself that I won’t stop until I’ve taken every single one of them down including Declan MacCaffrey.

My greatest disappointment in all of this is the fact that Declan is in jail and I won’t be able to dole out the punishment that he so greatly deserves. Taking out his nephew will have to suffice for now.

Slipping through the darkness, we stop on either side of the door of room number thirteen. I listen carefully, hoping to hear something that could give us some sort of a clue as to what is waiting for us inside, but I don’t hear anything at first.

I frown as I focus harder, honing in on a muted sound and trying to figure out what it was. Within seconds, realization dawns on me, my eyes widening as my head snaps up to look at Nightwing. Without a second thought, I lunge at Nightwing, knocking him out of the way as the room explodes in a burst of flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WHAT?!? NOOOO!!!
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana faced off against Lex Luthor and it doesn't go well at all. In the present, Nemesis and Nightwing investigate the Ecstasy Motel and get some unexpected help. :)
> 
> Sorry, I've been bad about responding to reviews. I've been really busy the last few weeks, but your reviews really make my day. Thank you for the support! :)


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

_**Metropolis; March 19th, 17:32** _

_I land on the front steps of S.T.A.R. Lab, presumably the first League member to respond to the intrusion alert. The police have yet to even arrive on scene. I find several security guards lying unconscious on the ground. I pause to check on them, relieved that none of their injuries appear to be life-threatening._

_I’d been in Metropolis having dinner with Lois Lane who wanted to do an interview with me on how the charities department at Wayne Enterprises was recovering from the embezzlement scandal. We had just finished when the call had come in about a break-in at the laboratory by none other than Lex Luthor._

_Being the nearest, it had only taken me a couple of minutes to respond to the call. I was more than anxious for a fight with Luthor and whoever else he might have brought along with him. If Bruce and Clark thought that I was going to sit back and wait for them to arrive in order to back me up then they were both crazy._

_I’m Wonder Woman for Hera’s sake, the Champion of the Gods. I don’t need help. The sooner they accepted it and got over their fears about me being able to handle myself in the field since my abduction the better it will be for everyone._

_It was growing harder and harder to work with them out in the field, their suffocating worry and attempts to protect me becoming more than infuriating at times. They treat me as if I’m the weakest link on the team, a victim incapable of handling myself or my responsibilities, but I am not a victim and I’m more than determined to prove it to them once and for all tonight no matter what it takes to get the point across._

_Working my way through the darkness of the lab, I find more security guards lying on the ground. It’s as if Lex is leaving me a trail to follow him to wherever he’s headed. I hope that he brought some help along with him tonight. It would definitely make this fight more of a challenge._

_My hope is confirmed as I find Cheetah and Copperhead standing guard in a hallway. “Hey, it’s the Wonder Babe,” Copperhead says, his arms falling to his sides as he straightens up._

_“I’ve been itching for a rematch,” Cheetah practically purrs as she brandishes her claws at me. “It’s been too long. I believe I owe you a beating.”_

_“Dibs on Tin-head,” Flash announces as he suddenly zips past me, nothing but a streaking blur of red._

_I growl my frustration with his appearance, but I’m more than happy to unleash some of my renewed anger on Cheetah. “Come on, Kitty-Kitty,” I provoke her, curling my forefinger in a come here motion that only seems to rankle her even more._

_“I am not a kitten,” Cheetah seethes as she saunters towards me. “I believe it’s high time that I taught you a lesson you won’t soon forget. If you’re lucky, I just might let that pretty little face of yours escape my claws.”_

_Barbara lunges at me with claws drawn and prepared to inflict more than a little pain, but I’m not about to give her the chance. I immediately raise my arms, crossing them in front of me and blocking her attack with my bracers. The screeching of her claws against the metal of my bracers fills my ears. She hisses in anger, raising her leg to kick me in the gut, but I swiftly grab her by the heel and flip her over._

_Just like a feline, Cheetah lands on all fours, glaring darkly at me as Flash tangles with Copperhead. Star Sapphire and Shade show up to help their partners out, but Batman and Green Arrow arrive at that moment as well, each taking on the new arrivals and irking me even more._

_I should have known that Bruce would show up as soon as he found out that I was responding to a call. Either Kal or Bruce has been showing up on almost every single call that I have responded to over the last few weeks. I’m going to make sure this nonsense ends tonight. I do not need a babysitter._

_Taking out a measure of my aggression on Cheetah, I hold nothing back as I attack with a flurry of kicks and punches that seem to take her by surprise. She barely has time to react as the heel of my boot connects with her chest, knocking the air from her lungs as she stumbles backwards and slams into a wall._

_I don’t allow her a chance to recover as I deliver a punishing blow to her jaw, knocking her out. Without a second glance at my teammates, I immediately head for the doors keeping me from getting my hands on Luthor. Finding it locked, I crush the handle in my hand before tearing the steel apart like tissue paper and allowing myself entrance._

_Luthor immediately looks up from one of the computers that he’s working on downloading information, a sneer on his lips. He’s wearing some sort of armored body suit, one that will no doubt provide him powers that he doesn’t possess. It matters little to me, though. This is my chance to prove myself to the team once and for all._

_“It’s over, Luthor,” I tell him._

_A wicked grin slowly spreads across his face as he stares me down; coming out from behind the computer he was working on. “I think it’s just beginning, Wonder Woman,” he gloats as I begin to close the distance between us, keeping a close eye on him._

_“What are you up to now, Lex?” I demand to know, my hands resting on my hips. “What information are you after here?”_

_He looks me up and down, his leer hard to miss. It only causes my ire to burn that much more intensely than it already has been. He saunters towards me with a smugness that I’m eager to erase, his gaze lingering on me. It’s all I can do not to snap his neck right here, but I hold my anger in check…at least for the moment._

_“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he taunts me. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to work hard to get the information you want.”_

_Growing weary of his games and needing to prove myself to my teammates, I swiftly grab him by the front of his body suit and pull him close to me. “One way or another, I will get it out of you,” I grind out. “Now, we can either do it the easy way or my way. Which is it going to be?”_

_“I find that I like to live dangerously,” Luthor tells me, clearly undaunted by my threat._

_I open my mouth to respond only to feel an electrical shock shoot through my entire body. I instantly release my hold on him, giving him a chance to back away from me. He lifts his right arm, firing several blasts at me. I instinctively use my bracers to block it, furious with myself for allowing him to get free from my hold on him._

_I should have been more prepared, ready for anything especially when it comes to Luthor. He’s a cunning snake in the grass that cannot be trusted for one second. I allowed my guard to falter and I paid the humiliating price, but not again. He will not get away from me this time._

_I curse under my breath as I stalk towards him, my hands balled at my sides and jaw clenched tightly. I strike him square in the chest, causing him to stagger backwards, but it seems to do little to slow him down with that powered up suit on._

_Lunging at me, we tangle with one another, his suit giving him strength that he never would’ve had without it. I manage to lift my leg, kicking him away, but he just flies right back at me with surprising speed. He wraps his arms tightly around me, his arms like a vice grip._

_I feel panic instantly lance through me like a streak of lightning, his hot breath against my neck causing my anxiety to spike with memories of Callahan and MacCaffrey. I will not allow this pathetic excuse for a man to get the upper hand on me. No one will ever do to me what they did. No one will turn me into the prey again._

_With a cry of rage, I grit my teeth, breaking free from his hold on me and causing him to stumble back. I’m on him in the next breath, ripping pieces of his armored suit from his body with blinding fury. He yells as my fingers curl into the armor plating around his chest, tearing the metal away and tossing it aside as I pin him to the ground._

_He raises his hands to ward me off him, but I do not heed his pleas for mercy. This vile man will never lay another finger on me or anyone else ever again. I slam my fist into his face, causing blood to spurt from his broken nose._

_“You will pay, Luthor,” I grind out, striking him again._

_“Stop!” he cries out. “I give up!”_

_I rear my fist back to strike him again, but an unexpected hand on my forearm stops me. “Diana!” Batman growls. “That’s enough!”_

_“Leave me alone,” I snap. “He deserves every bit of what he’s about to receive.”_

_“This isn’t you,” he tries to tell me with an urgency in his voice, but the fury that is coursing through me is too fierce…too all-consuming right now to pay heed to his pleas or to even think clearly at that moment._

_I yank my arm free from his hold on my arm, my fist connecting with Lex’s jaw and causing his head to snap to the side. “Diana!” Batman yells again, grabbing my arm to try to stop me._

_“He won’t hurt anyone ever again,” I seethe._

_“Stop it, Diana!” Superman yells, suddenly grabbing me from behind and pulling me off a bloody and unconscious Luthor._

_Kal crushes me against him, my back against his chest as I try to break free from his hold on me. I kick my legs in an effort to escape as Kal tries his best to calm me by telling me how much they all care about me, how worried they are about me, and how this isn’t me._

_I watch as Bruce kneels over Luthor, calling for an ambulance to take the criminal mastermind to the hospital. I feel no guilt in my actions as I stare at him. The only regret I feel at that moment as I struggle to catch my breath is that I wasn’t able to drag him to jail myself. Instead, he’s going to the hospital._

_Batman straightens up, his attention focused solely on me. He just stares at me for several long moments, his hands clenched tightly at his sides as Kal tentatively relaxes his hold on me. I meet Bruce’s stare head-on, refusing to apologize or give some sort of explanation for my actions._

_Bruce just turns to walk past me without a single word, without telling me how wrong I was or out of line. I can tell by the rigid set of his shoulders, the grim set of his lips and tightness of his jaw that he is beyond furious with me. Why can’t he just understand that I was only doing what was necessary to stop Luthor?_

_I pull away from Kal, turning to level him with a deadly glare of indignation. “Diana, I—” he begins, but I don’t allow him to finish his sentence. I don’t want any lectures especially from him or Bruce right now._

_“Stop,” I growl, holding up my hand. “I don’t want to hear it. I only did what was necessary to stop that maniac.”_

_I storm away, not pausing to check on any of my teammates or the other villains that we had done battle with tonight. I march out of S.T.A.R. Lab, glancing at Batman who is standing outside by his Batwing. We share a brief look before I take to the sky, the anguished murmur of my name on his lips barely audible as the wind fills my ears._

_I race through the night sky as fast as Hermes’ gift allows me to, tears burning at the edges of my eyes, but I refuse to release them. I feel as though my world is spiraling even further out of control, the two men that I care the most about no longer trusting me or believing in me._

_The pain of that thoughts tears at my heart unlike anything I’ve ever known. I don’t even know how long I fly for or which direction I’m going. All I know is that no matter where I go or how hard I fight, I cannot escape the pain that fills me or the fury and bitterness that consumes me. It’s eating away at me and there doesn’t seem to be anything that I can do to stop it._

_It makes me want to scream, to beat something until there is nothing left inside of me…no part of me that can feel anything anymore. I’ve considered talking to J’onn about erasing those memories that refuse to allow me a moment’s peace, but, in doing so, I’d be taking the coward’s way out._

_Trying to escape those five horrifying days is something that I’m going to have to do on my own, something that I’m going to have to work through alone. No one can begin to understand all that I’ve endured, being stripped of all my dignity and inner strength…the things that I believe make me Diana._

_In its place, there is nothing but never-ending rage, darkness, and resentment. I can’t help wondering how much longer this can go on, how much longer before Bruce decides that he’s had enough of me and wants me out of the manor and out of his life for good._

_I can’t really blame him, though. I’m hardly the woman that I once was, nothing more than just an empty shell. I begin to wonder if what we feel for each other will be enough. I know that I’m in love with him, but we’ve never actually spoken the words. Can love really be enough to save us?_

_Spotting a lake below me, I land in the tall grasses that extend from it. I slowly walk through the field, wondering what Bruce is doing right now. Is he looking for a way to tell me that he doesn’t want me any longer? Are he and Kal discussing how I’m a determent to the team?_

_Exhausted and on the brink of collapse, I drop in the tall grass, sitting before the lake. I pull my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs and curling up into a ball in an effort to escape what my life has become. My chin comes to rest on top of my knees, my long hair falling around me like an inky veil shielding me from the chaotic world around me that no longer makes any sense._

_I sit there for minutes or hours…I have no idea how long. Time seems to screech to a halt. Not even the peaceful tranquility of Gaia that surrounds me brings any measure of serenity. I feel as lost and alone as ever as sleep attempts to drag me under, but I rail against it knowing I’ll only sink into more nightmares I can’t fight or escape._

_Despite my exhausted state, I sense someone in the tall grasses with me, but I don’t make any attempt to move or raise my head. I no longer care who it is or if I’m in danger. Let them attack me. I have nothing left to give to anyone, no will at that moment to fight._

_Then I smell his scent and I know it is him. I feel him settle in the grass right beside me. He doesn’t say a word as we both sit there together in the darkness, neither of us moving. After several minutes, I can take it no longer. Without saying anything, I turn and throw my arms around him, burying my face in the crook of his neck._

_He immediately responds, bringing his cape around us both as he wraps his arms around me and holds me close. We just sit there like that, neither of us talking, both of us only taking what we need from one another at that moment and neither of us knowing how to fix any of this._

_This isn’t the time for talking or lectures or excuses. It’s just a chance to hold one another, to hurt together and hope that we will be able to find our way through this somehow and that our love will weather the storm._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 12th, 01:43 EST_ **

I blink several times to clear my vision, shaking my head in an effort to get rid of the high-pitched ringing that pierces my ears. I groan softly as I push myself on to my hands and knees, my head swimming. I force my brain to focus, knowing I need to check on Nightwing to make sure he’s all right.

Bits of debris and splintered wood slide off my back as I straighten up, finding Dick is struggling to get to his feet as well. “Are you all right?” I ask, my ears still ringing.

“I feel like I’ve been hit by a semi-truck,” he groans as he rolls onto his back, staring up at the sky.

“Sorry about that,” I apologize, getting up onto my feet.

“Are you kidding?” he replies, pausing to cough as he sits up. “Cracked ribs are far better than being dead. You saved my life.”

“Yes, but I’m afraid we lost our best lead,” I point out, turning and looking at the thick gray smoke pouring out of the hotel room.

“Not necessarily,” he tries to reassure me, but I’m not feeling very hopeful at that moment.

We carefully approach the room, both of us concerned that there might be more traps waiting for us inside. I can’t help the fear that Bruce or one of the missing girls might have been in there. Entering, I quickly scan the room through the thinning smoke, more than relieved to find no one.

Nightwing immediately heads straight for the bathroom to search for clues as I begin to dig through the debris. I’m so angry that our best chance to find Bruce has just literally gone up in smoke. Despite the destruction of the room, it’s obvious that this room had been used as a holding place of sorts.

I find a wooden chair in pieces, handcuffs still attached to the arms. I crush the leg of the chair in my hands, my frustration bubbling uncontrollably like hot lava about to explode. I find pieces of a newspaper scattered on the ground, a red circle around an article about the missing girls. I put the scraps of newspaper in an evidence bag to test back at the cave.

Nightwing comes out of the bathroom at that moment, the grim expression on his face only adding to my rising desperation. He rubs his side, grimacing with the movement. I no doubt bruised his ribs when I tackled him to the ground, but it’s preferable to the alternatives.

“There’s not much in there, but I did dust for prints just in case,” he reveals. “Anything out here?”

“I found a broken chair with handcuffs attached to the arms,” I inform him, refusing to allow the memories of being shackled to a similar chair when I’d first been taken to fully take hold of me. “Everything else has been blown to bits.”

“This was definitely the place they first brought the girls after kidnapping them,” he confirms, kneeling down to dust for prints on what is left of the chair.

“So, what now?” I ask, my hands finding my hips. “There has to be something here that can tell us where they’re being ultimately being held.”

Just then, an old man holding a baseball bat runs into the room. “What’s going on in here?” he demands to know.

He’s an elderly man, frail looking with a balding head. He is visibly trembling with fear as he holds the baseball bat above his head in an effort to ward off some sort of an attack. Nightwing calmly steps forward, holding his hands up towards him. “It’s okay,” he tries to reassure him. “We’re only here to help.”

“Can you tell us anything about who rents this room?” I ask.

The man carefully looks both of us over suspiciously, slowly lowering his bat after several tense moments. “Not sure,” he finally responds, still somewhat wary of us. “A man came in here about six or seven months ago…said he needed a room for an extended period of time. He ended up paying for a whole year.”

“Do you usually rent out a motel room for a whole year?” Nightwing questions him, obviously incredulous.

“Not usually, but he paid me double the price for the room,” he replies, placing the fat end of the bat on the ground so he could lean his forearm on the handle as he spoke. “He then threw in five thousand and an extra thousand every month if I kept people away from the room.”

“Weren’t you suspicious that something illegal was going on?” I ask, astounded by this man’s willingness to look the other way when some criminal activity was so obviously taking place here.

“It weren’t none of my business as I far I could see,” he muttered with a shrug. “Besides, I got lots of bills to pay. Wife’s sick with female cancer and we needed the money.”

“Well, it looks like your nest egg just went up in smoke,” Nightwing comments as he looks around again. “Do you have any idea what they were doing in here…see any of the people that came and went?”

“Not much,” he confesses. “They did their thing and I kept my nose out of their business. Real good deal until this happened.”

My impatience is skyrocketing, infuriated with the lack of information that this man is able to give us. “Do you think you could tell us anything about the man who rented the room?”

“He was about six foot,” he thoughtfully says as he considers it for a moment. “He had brown hair…a snake tattoo on the side of his neck I think.”

Nightwing looks at me and we share a look. “Connor Mills,” we both utter the name at the same time.

“Don’t know,” the man states. “He never gave me a name and I didn’t ask. He paid cash for the room. Every month an envelope shows up filled with cash.”

“When was the last time an envelope arrived?” Dick asks.

“Just yesterday,” he tells us.

“Do you still have the envelope?”

“I reckon it’s still in the trash can in the office.”

“Can we have it?” Dick requests, growing somewhat exasperated.

“I’ll go get it for you,” the man agrees, turning and leaving with his baseball bat resting against his shoulder.

“We need to let Gordon know what happened,” Nightwing says. “Maybe he can still get more information out of Hector Ortiz.”

“Do you think St. James found out that we had Hector Ortiz in custody and blew up the room to keep us from finding anything?” I question him.

“That’s my guess,” he replies with a nod. “I doubt Hector knew they were going to blow up the room.”

“I’m just glad no one was in here,” I cryptically point out, both of us thinking of Bruce at that moment.

“Here it is,” the motel owner returns with the envelope in hand, handing it to Dick.

“You wouldn’t happen to have security camera around here would you?” Dick inquires.

The owner laughs, clearly amused by the question. “This ain’t no Hilton,” he quips as he shakes his head. “Listen, this is Gotham and definitely not the best part of the city.”

“Okay, so no regular customers that might have seen something going on?” Dick presses.

“You can try checking with some of the girls I guess,” the man suggests as he thoughtfully scratches his head.

“Which girls?” I question him, my patience growing thinner with every passing second.

“The hookers on the corner,” he says, nodding his head in the direction we need to go.

“Thanks for your help,” Nightwing tells him as we head to the door. “Nightwing to Oracle. Let Gordon know the motel room was rigged with a bomb.”

I don’t bother trying to listen in as they talk, my focus now on the three hookers pacing back and forth on the corner. I’m pinning my hope on one of these girls possibly seeing something…anything that could help us find the missing students and Bruce.

The girls stop their pacing as they watch us approach. One gives us what can only be described as a cold, defiant look; the other two appear far more worried. I decide to let Nightwing take the lead on this, knowing that I’m too on edge to be pleasant right now. Besides, dealing with prostitutes is not something that I’ve really ever done. This is definitely Nightwing’s territory.

“Ladies, can we talk to you for a moment?” he politely asks them.

“What do you want?” the defiant one demands to know. She looks as though she’s about to launch herself at Dick at any second, ready to scratch his eyes out. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if she pulls a knife on us.

“We just want to ask you a few questions about what’s been going on in room thirteen at the motel over there,” he tells them. “We’re not here to cause you any trouble. We only want to know if you’ve seen anything that might be able to help us.”

One of the two girls who looks like a sacred rabbit about to bolt takes a tentative step forward. “What…what do you want to know?” she tentatively asks.

“What’s your name?” Dick inquires with compassion in his voice.

“Tina,” she tells him, glancing at her two friends.

“I’m sure you’ve heard about the Gotham University students that have been kidnapped over the last six months,” he begins to explain with a patience I definitely do not feel. “We have reason to believe that they were being brought here right after being taken. Do you remember seeing anyone coming in or out of room thirteen, Tina?”

Tina seems to think about it for a moment. I’m not sure if she does know something and is just too scared to tell us or if she doesn’t know anything at all. The defiant one pushes past Tina and stands in front of her. “Don’t bother, Tina,” she snaps. “We don’t owe them nothing. You know as well as I do if it had been one of us that had been taken they wouldn’t be out here wasting their time looking for us. They’re only out here looking because these are rich girls who went missing.”

“Willow Stevens was twenty years old when she was abducted from Gotham University,” I angrily grind out as I get right in her face, more than done with the pleasantries now. “She came from a broken home and an abusive father who hit her and her mother every chance he had. 

“She had to get a restraining order against her boyfriend who also abused her every time he drank. Willow worked two jobs to put herself through college, to try to build a better life for herself. She wanted to be a social worker to help others who were trapped in abusive relationships. We found her raped and strangled in an alley just the other day, almost beaten beyond recognition. Would you like me to go on?”

The defiance wavers in the younger woman’s eyes, her face growing pale as she seems to shrink back slightly. She averts her gaze, clearly affected by what I have just told her. It’s obvious that something in what I just told her about Willow resonates with her own personal story.

“There’s a couple of guys that usually go in there a few times a month,” she tells us. “They stay for a couple of hours and then leave. Sometimes when they leave, one of them is carrying a large duffel bag…big enough to carry someone in.”

“Thank you,” I softly say, feeling as though we’re finally getting somewhere. “Can you tell us what these two guys look like?”

“They’re about the same height, both built with sandy hair,” Tina pipes up, moving to stand beside her friend. “One has a snake tattoo on his neck.”

“Tina,” her friend hisses at her. “We don’t want to get involved in this. They’ll want us to testify against these guys in court.”

“I don’t care, Kim,” Tina states, growing bolder. “If someone doesn’t help these girls, more will go missing. Who’s to say they might not start taking us next?”

“So you got a good look at these two guys?” Nightwing asks.

“Yah,” Tina replies with a nod. “The guy with the tattoo propositioned me last month, but I turned him down. There was something about him that made my skin crawl. I didn’t think it was safe especially with them taking large bags out of that room filled with who knew what.”

“Smart move,” I praise her. “Have you ever seen them bring anyone to the room?”

“No, but we’re not always out here either,” Tina explains, her expression growing sheepish. “We are working girls. We have to make a living somehow.”

“I’ve seen them back their van up right to the room a few times,” the third girl volunteers, nervously hooking a fire red lock of hair behind her ear. “I’ve also seen a Hispanic fellow with the two guys.”

“Oh yah,” Tina agrees. “I’ve seen him quite a few times too, but mostly it’s the two guys together.”

Nightwing produces a picture, showing it to them. “Have you ever seen this guy before?”

All three stare at the picture of Scott St. James, their foreheads creasing in thought. “No, not me,” Kim states. “How about you, Priya?”

“Never seen him before,” Priya informs us.

“Yah, no idea who he is,” Tina confirms.

“Thank you for your help, ladies,” Nightwing tells them. “You’ve been very helpful.”

“Stay safe out here,” I add, my hand falling to Tina’s shoulder. “If you ever need anything, there’s a clinic run by Dr. Leslie Tompkins in Park Row.”

“Thanks,” Tina replied, hope seeming to light her eyes.

With the new information in hand, Nightwing and I take off for the Batmobile, cops now converging on the room that had exploded. Thankfully, we’d already taken some evidence that would hopefully prove useful to us in tracking Bruce down or in convicting those involved.

We already know that Trevor and Connor are involved as well as Hector Ortiz, all of them working for Scott St. James, but now we have eyewitnesses who put the three of them at the scene of the crime. Hopefully, the prints that Dick dusted for will put our missing girls and these men together at the motel room.

Getting into the Batmobile, we get an alert from Oracle. “What have you got, O?” Nightwing asks.

“Another possible lead,” she reveals. “Seems that Hector became a little more willing to talk after you left. He said that the girls were taken to the motel for a couple of days or so and then transported to a farmhouse at the edge of town. I’m sending you the directions now.”

“Got it,” Nightwing responds. “We’re headed there now. Keep us posted if anything more comes out.”

“Will do,” she replies.

I glance at Nightwing, wondering if this is just going to turn into another dead end or a trap. It’s hard to say at this point. My hopes have been raised only to be dashed so many times now, believing that I was getting closer to finding Bruce only to come up with nothing.

“Hang on, Bruce,” I whisper to myself, biting at my bottom lip as I turn to look out the passenger window as Gotham passes by us in a blur of lights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: UGH! I so love how this chapter turned out. I hope you guys love it too. Because the first part of this update was so heartbreaking, I'll give you all some hope by letting you know that they find Bruce in Chapter 24!
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana spend some time together. In the present, Nemesis and Nightwing make a HUGE discovery at the farm house! :)
> 
> Check out the wonderful #WonderBatWeek2018 going on right now. It started yesterday and lasts for seven days. Check Twitter and at fyeahwonderbat on Tumblr. Come join the fun and support Wonderbat!


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

**_Watchtower; March 23rd, 15:06_ **

_Walking down the corridor of the Watchtower, I can’t help but notice some of the fleeting glances that I’m receiving. They are looks of apprehension and maybe a little fear. I’m sure it’s because they heard I put Lex Luthor in the ICU. As far as I’m concerned, he’d had it coming for a long time now._

_There wasn’t any line that was crossed in my mind the other night. I had stopped Luthor, keeping him from hurting any more people or any of my teammates. Kal and Bruce act like I almost killed him, but I hadn’t. I had merely delivered a message that he wouldn’t soon forget._

_Entering the Monitor Womb, I make my way to where Flash is sitting. He looks up to see me coming, instantly sitting up straighter in his chair as if he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Sorry, I’m late,” I tell him as I come to stand beside him._

_“No…no problem, Wondy…anything for you,” he quickly replies, holding his hands up in front of him as if to defend himself against me. He’s almost nervous around me. “I don’t have anything important going on anyway this afternoon.”_

_“Still, I’m sorry,” I apologize again. “I had a meeting at work that ran later than I had anticipated.”_

_He evacuates the monitor chair in less than a blink of an eye, taking me by surprise. I find him standing a few feet away from me, keeping his distance from me. It only intensifies the irritation that I’ve been feeling with my friends and teammates for the last few months._

_Gone is the easy comradery and friendship that we used to share and in its place is nothing but apprehension and discomfort. Flash used to be like a little brother to me, one that I never had growing up. Now, everyone is on pins and needles around me, acting as if I’m going to detonate like a bomb and take out everyone around me or completely fall apart into a blithering mess of endless tears._

_It causes my fingers to curl into fists as I stare at Flash, wishing that everyone could just get past this and move on. “Flash, I’m fine,” I grind out. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell everyone that before you all believe me.”_

_Wally nervously rubs the back of his neck as he looks away from me. “Yah, I know you are, Di,” he tells me, trying to appear relaxed and his usual jovial self, but he’s failing miserably. “We just all love you so much and don’t want anything to happen to you and…well… it’s just that...you…you don’t smile anymore like you used to so we’re all still worried about you.”_

_I allow my eyes to momentarily fall closed as I wrestle with my exasperation, forcing the sharp retort dancing on my tongue to stay unspoken. “I know, but I promise you that I’m fine now. You all just need to trust me and stop trying to act like I’m going to break into a thousand pieces at the drop of a hat.”_

_“Oh yah…no, we all know you’re a lot stronger than that,” he tries to backpedal, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other and back again._

_He’s clearly uncomfortable talking to me and it hurts and angers me in a way that I hadn’t anticipated. It proves to me that things haven’t improved in the least since my return to my duties in the League, my friends who know what happened to me refusing to see me as anything other than a broken victim._

_I still see glimpses of hurt lingering in Bruce’s eyes when I catch him staring at me. There is so much left unspoken in those tense moments, neither of us willing to traverse down that path. He doesn’t want to push me too hard and I refuse to relive something that I’ve been trying so hard to lock away and bury._

_Drawing a deep breath, I decide it’s time to change the subject. “Any missions going on that I need to know about?” I finally ask._

_He seems to visibly relax a little with the question. “There are two teams currently out,” he informs me. “The one in Egypt should be returning soon. They were just finishing up. The other team is in India. They thought they’d be another hour or so.”_

_“I’ll keep a watch out for them,” I reply, turning and settling into the empty chair._

_“Okay, see you, Wondy,” Flash says._

_He’s gone before I can form a response, leaving me alone with a handful of civilian staff. I immediately get to work, checking out various satellite and news feeds to make sure there is nothing else going on requiring League assistance before delving into my own work._

_I bring up my email account on another computer, pulling up the files that I had sent to myself on the kidnappings taking place in Gotham. Bruce has told me very little about his friend’s missing daughter, refusing to divulge too much information about her abduction._

_All I’ve been able to learn so far is that she was likely taken by the very same people who had abducted the other girls. She matches the physical characteristics as the other girls—blond hair, blue-eyes, petite and beautiful, a dazzling smile. It made my heart ache for her and her family, reinforcing my resolution to help find these girls before it was too late._

_The only thing that Bruce would really reveal was that he and Ethan had grown up together, their parents close. After had lost his parents, Ethan had remained a friend, not as close as when they had been children, but still close enough that Ethan immediately called Bruce when his daughter went missing._

_I begin to read through the files again, hoping to find something that I may have missed. Reading through each one of the abductions only causes me to form a strange sort of bond with these girls. I feel as though I know them personally, causing me to feel the pain of what they are likely going through that much more fully._

_There had to be some link between these girls, someone that all of them have been in contact with. Gotham University has thousands of students on and off campus. There must be a common thread connecting all of them together. I know that Barbara already ran every comparison she could think of, from class schedules to employment and everything in between._

_As far as she can tell, there is no consistent commonality among the girls. Some students shared a class here and there, a couple of others resided in the same dorms while two of them had been on the same basketball team. Four of the girls lived off campus, but all in different parts of Gotham._

_I still feel our best option right now is for me to go undercover as a student, but Bruce adamantly refuses. Every time I try to bring it up, he completely shuts down and refuses to even talk or look to me. I know that this case has resurrected heartache that we’d both rather just forget, but these girls are in serious trouble and we’re running out of options._

_And now Bruce’s friend Ethan has a daughter missing. It’s becoming that much more personal and dire to find these girls. I know if I can just go undercover, I can help find these men who have taken them. It frustrates me to distraction that Bruce is being so obstinate about this. I know how hard this has been for him, how all of this is just further tearing apart open wounds that have yet to heal._

_“What are you doing, Princess?”_

_The low, sinister rasp of his voice right next to my ear sends a shockwave of desire through me as well as nearly making me leap out of the chair. How the man manages to sneak up on me like this is beyond me. It’s not natural, going beyond the realm of normal human capabilities._

_“What in the name of Hades are you doing?” I ask with a scowl as I turn to glare at my Dark Knight standing next to me with a smug look of victory on his face. There is also a hint of disapproval in the tight set of his jaw that does not go unnoticed by me._

_“Here to see you,” he replies. “We’re supposed to have a work date as soon as your shift is over, remember?_

_“But I have—” my voice instantly cuts off as I see that I only have two more minutes of monitor duty left. Where in Hera had the time gone?_

_Bruce leans in very close to me, his breath warm against my face. “What have you been doing for the last three hours?” he softly asks, the white slits of his cowl narrowing dangerously, but I’ve never been intimidated by him and it certainly doesn’t work now._

_“Just work,” I vaguely respond, closing the numerous files that I have open. He knows exactly what I’ve been doing. Damn him._

_“I’m here…I’m here!” Green Arrow yells as he rushes into the Monitor Womb, slightly out of breath. “Sorry, but I was…uh…taking care of something…yah…that’s it.”_

_“Right,” Batman drawls, folding his arms against his chest as he straightens up to glare at him. “She wouldn’t happen to have long blond hair and wear fishnet stockings, would she?”_

_Oliver stares at him in shock. “How did you—” he begins, only to stop himself. A scowl instantly forms on his face as he turns his attention to me. “Never mind. Anything important that I need to know about, Diana?”_

_“I have a team in Africa and one in California right now,” I reveal as I stand to my feet. “It’s been fairly quiet otherwise.”_

_“Let’s go, Princess,” Batman states as he turns to leave. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”_

_“Always the gentleman,” Arrow says to me as he shakes his head, taking over the monitor chair. “Try not to deck him, Diana. We need him in one piece whether we like it or not.”_

_“No promises, Arrow,” I tell him as I follow Batman from the Monitor Womb._

_“You know I’m far too charming to hit,” Batman flirts as we head to the cafeteria to grab something to eat before we get to work._

_“I don’t know about that,” I reply with a roll of my eyes. “Okay, so spill. What are you really doing up here on the Watchtower? We don’t have a working dinner date this evening.”_

_“Can’t I come up here and have dinner with my beautiful girlfriend?”_

_“Of course, you can,” I reply. “I’m just surprised to see you here.”_

_“I am a part-time League member and a Founder,” he points out. “Not to mention, I own the Watchtower.”_

_“I’m just saying that I know how busy you’ve been lately with the missing girls in Gotham,” I try again, my patience beginning to wear thin as my suspicion rises. What if he’s hear to tell me that he doesn’t want to be with me anymore?_

_Things have been stressful between us since the incident with Luthor, even more so than they had been before. It’s caused fear to rise within me, worried that Bruce would give up and break things off with me. I could hardly blame him if he had grown tired of me struggling to overcome my trauma, my inability to control my warring emotions._

_He comes to an abrupt stop, looking both ways to confirm that we’re all alone in the corridor before speaking again. “I know that I’ve been really busy with Gotham,” he softly confesses. “That’s why I’m here. I know I haven’t been around very much the last few days and…I’ve really missed you.”_

_I can feel my expression brighten with his words. I have to force myself to stand absolutely still and not throw my arms around him, remembering that there are security cameras everywhere up here. “If we were somewhere private, I’d kiss you senseless right now.”_

_He draws a step closer and I feel my breath instantly hitch in response. “I can arrange that you know,” he huskily murmurs._

_I look up at him through my dark eyelashes, wishing that he’d make it happen. “We could always eat at home.”_

_“I needed to get out of there for a little while,” he admits as we begin walking again. “I was hoping a change of scenery and seeing you would help clear my head.”_

_I place my hand on his arm, stopping him outside the commissary. “We’ll figure this out and we’ll find Emily,” I reassure him. “There is no one better skilled than you to solve this case and save these girls.”_

_One corner of his mouth curls slightly with my assurance as he releases a sigh. “Thank you, Princess,” he murmurs. “You always give me faith when I have none. I just wish that I could do the same for you.”_

_My forehead creases as hurt and guilt invades my heart. He has come to mean everything to me, my strength and desire to carry on when I just want to run away. I just wish that he could understand that, but I know it’s my fault that he doesn’t._

_“You do that for me…far more than you can begin to imagine,” I tell him._

_The doors of the comm open at that moment, John and Vixen exiting. “Hey, guys,” John greets us, his dark eyes shifting from Bruce to me and back again. It’s clear by the expression on his face that he suspects that something is going on between us, but thankfully he doesn’t say anything. “You did a great job finding the kitchen crew and chefs. There’s some pretty awesome lasagna being served tonight. I’m going to get fat if I keep eating like this.”_

_“I’ll just have to make sure that they send you out on more missions,” Batman replies._

_“Great; that wasn’t what I had in mind,” John mutters with a roll of his eyes. “See you two later.”_

_We proceed inside, both of us grabbing a tray. “I think he knows,” I cryptically say._

_“He knows, but he won’t say anything,” he reassures me._

_“You know it’ll eventually come out,” I venture, casting a sidelong glance at him in an attempt to read his feelings on the subject. “Once Flash finds out, it’ll be all over the Watchtower in less than a heartbeat.”_

_Several moments pass before he responds. “I’m not sure I mind if it does,” he admits, taking me completely by surprise._

_“Really?” I blurt out, stunned by his confession._

_Bruce moves close to me, reaching past me to fill his cup with coffee. I can feel his breath so warm against my face. “Maybe I want everyone to know that you belong to me and no one else…that you are spoken for.”_

_I swallow hard, the intensity of my love for this man taking me by surprise. He pulls backs, setting his cup of coffee on his tray and moving on before I can respond. Bruce is dating Diana, not Batman courting Wonder Woman. We need to be very careful not to telegraph our feelings into our actions or our secret identities would be compromised. Thankfully, the comm isn’t very full yet at that moment._

_Grabbing a plate of food, I follow Bruce to the far corner of the comm, anxious to spend some time alone with him before he has to go out on patrol later tonight. I’ve missed him these last three days, needing to know that he can accept that I did what I had to do to stop Luthor and send him a message once and for all._

_I’ll be more than happy when things have settled down and these girls are back safe where they belong. Hopefully, then life will be a little easier for us…at least until the next case that comes along._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 12th, 02:35 EST_ **

My stomach is twisted into knots as we tear through Gotham all over again. This game of “what if’s” and “might be” is seriously eating away at my sanity. I had allowed myself to get my hopes up that we would find Bruce at that sleazy motel only to nearly be blown up. Now, there’s a chance he might be at this farmhouse.

I know I need to trust Bruce to hang on until I can get to him, but it’s difficult knowing that he’s injured and bleeding out there somewhere. I remind myself that he’s resourceful and stubborn to a fault. He refuses to give up no matter the odds. They’re characteristics that had first captured my attention and admiration. From there, I quickly fell for him, my noble Dark Knight.

As worried as I am about him, I’m also furious with him for going undercover alone like this. If he just would’ve let me go with him, I could’ve helped him instead of racing all over Gotham in a panic trying to find him before he got himself killed…before I lost him forever.

When we do find him, I’m not sure if I’ll kiss him senseless or throttle him for putting me through this nightmare. Still, I can’t help loving him even more for what he’s doing. He’s one of the bravest men I have ever known, so selfless and compassionate. Everyone believes he possesses no feelings, but I know better. He feels far more than any of us.

Dick pulls the Batmobile to a stop behind a grove of trees. He pulls out a pair of binoculars to see if he can spot anyone. My impatience is skyrocketing with every passing minute. I need to get in there and find him, not sit out here while he could be going through Hera knows what.

“We need to get in there, Dick,” I tell him as I reach for the door handle.

“We will, Diana,” he reassures me. “I just want to know what we’re getting into. I’d rather we not end up in tiny pieces like we almost did at the motel.”

I’m a little chagrined by the reminder, knowing deep down that he’s right. We do need to be extra cautious. Dick can’t take an explosion like I can nor can anyone who might still be inside that house. Still, it does little to quiet my desperation to race inside there and find Bruce.

“I think I see someone inside,” Dick mutters. “Let’s go see what we can find.”

I’m out of the car before he can finish the sentence, staying to the shadows created by the trees as I run towards the farmhouse. I can feel Dick following close behind me. I know that he’ll want to go first in case Bruce is in there and he’s dead, but I can’t let him this time. Donna would be devastated if anything happened to Dick and I’m not about to let her go through that.

Reaching the farmhouse, I press my back against the rough siding. A light is spilling from a window to my right, casting a faint glow on the grass. There’s a dog barking in the distance, but it’s otherwise quiet save for my heart beginning to pound in my ears. If Bruce isn’t in here, I’m going to start slamming heads together until someone tells me where he is.

Nightwing touches my arm to get my attention, pointing to the back of the house. We silently circle around to the back door. He swiftly picks the lock and opens it for us. We pause for a long moment, listening for any movement. Hearing none, he carefully steps inside.

My every nerve ending is humming, charged and more than ready for battle. I follow Nightwing inside to find ourselves standing in the kitchen. There’s a loaf of bread on one of the counters and dirty dishes in the sink, proving that someone has been here recently.

Nightwing goes over to the ashtray that’s sitting on the kitchen table, pausing to collect the cigarette butts for DNA evidence. He turns to me and points for me to check upstairs while he checks the main level. I nod my head in agreement as I head to the stairs, thoughts of Bruce swirling around in my mind. It feels like a large piece of me has been carved out of my life with him gone and I want him back with me where he belongs.

I float an inch or two above the stairs as I head upstairs, worried that the steps will creak and give away my presence. My eyes quickly adjust to the darkness, making it easier for me to find my way. Reaching the second floor, I hear the sound of steady breathing. Someone is definitely asleep up here. It makes me wonder if we even have the right farmhouse. If not, this could be very awkward.

I find three rooms upstairs, one of them a bathroom. The other two rooms have the doors closed. I try the first door on my right, testing the knob to find it locked. With a little extra pressure, the metal crumples like tissue paper in my hand. I push the door open to find someone curled up on their side lying on a bed. 

Spotting a blond ponytail, I release a soft sigh of relief knowing we’d found one of the missing girls. There’s a shackle around an ankle that’s attached to a chain bolted into the wooden floor. My fury sears through me to see someone being treated like they are nothing more than some animal. 

Memories of my own abduction and torture instantly flood my mind and consumes my body, panic tearing through me as well as nausea churning in the pit of my stomach. I force myself to tamp down on it, knowing that I need to help these girls…to keep them from facing anymore horrors than they already have. Being tied up, I was unable to help myself those five days, but I know that I can help them and it gives me a renewed sense of strength.

I silently approach, hoping not to startle her too much, but dressed like I am it feels like a lofty expectation. I crouch beside the bed, my hand reaching out to the sleeping girl. I recognize her as Kelly Watkins. Her eyes fly open as my hand comes to rest against her mouth, hoping to silence her. She struggles as I try to shush her, her eyes wide with terror.

“It’s okay, Kelly. You can trust me,” I reassure her. “I’m a friend of Batman’s and I’m here to help you. I’m going to get you out of here.”

Tears instantly flood her eyes as she throws herself into my arms. “Thank you,” she whimpers between sobs. “Thank you.”

I can hear a scuffle downstairs, but I need to see who is in the other room before I head down to investigate. With any luck, it’s Bruce. “Is there anyone else up here?”

“I…I think so,” Kelly tearfully replies as she moves to sit on the edge of the bed, the thick chain falling to the floor with a clank. “I think I heard another girl here a couple of days ago, but they might have moved her already.”

“Moved her where?” I ask her as I reach down to the chain attached to her ankle.

She covers her face with her hands as her tears come faster and harder, her breathing ragged. “I don’t…I don’t know…” she sobs uncontrollably.

With her distracted, I carefully break the chain, freeing her and helping her stand to her feet. Her legs are shaky from fear or from something else. I quickly wrap my arm around her. “Why did you think they were moving her?”

“I…I overheard them…talking,” Kelly manages to choke out between the tears. “They frequently…move the girls…to keep from being found.”

Before we can reach the door, I hear someone coming up the steps and I freeze. I tighten my hold on Kelly as she immediately presses into my side, clinging to me like a child. I pull a batarang in preparation for a fight when Nightwing appears in the doorway.

“Did you find him?” I ask, my heart in my throat in anticipation of what he is about to tell me.

“No, he’s not here,” he replies with a shake of his head.

I fight back the tears I can feel burning behind my eyes. We need to get Kelly out of here and find Bruce. “Did you find any other girls?”

“Not downstairs,” he informs me. “I’ve got a guy tied up downstairs.”

“Check the other bedroom,” I tell him. “There might be another girl in there.”

“I’ve already called Oracle,” he replies. “GCPD is on the way.”

I silently nod my head in response. My mind is numb with the knowledge that Bruce is still out there somewhere and I can’t get to him. It only makes the gaping hole in my chest feel that much deeper and wider than before. Every time I think that we’ve found him I only find myself that much further away from finding him.

I help Kelly down the stairs and into the kitchen, guiding her to a chair at the table. I immediately go to the cupboard and find a glass to get her some water. I focus all my anger and frustration into helping Kelly right now, knowing that any information I can get from her can only bring me that much closer to finding Bruce.

“Kelly, is there anything else that you can tell me?” I ask her as I hand her the glass of water. “Anything you’ve seen or heard?”

She takes the glass with a trembling hand, her eyebrows knitting in thought. “I never saw the faces of the men,” she begins. “They wore ski masks every time they came into my room.”

“Do you remember hearing anything about where they’re keeping the other girls or who might be involved in this?” I urgently press, determined to find something here that will help us find Bruce and the others.

She purses her lips as her eyes fall closed. She slowly draws a deep breath through her nose before finally opening her eyes to look at me. “I think I overheard one of the men say the name Harvey or Hector maybe?”

“Anything else?”

She doesn’t get the chance to answer as Nightwing enters the kitchen with his arm around another girl. My heart leaps into my throat as my eyes fall on Emma Bennett. “Emma,” I gasp with relief.

We’ve gotten two of the missing girls safely back. I know that should bring me an unmeasurable sense of relief and happiness, but I can’t help thinking of the ones who are still missing and might never be found…of Bruce and what he’s possibly going through right now.

Nightwing helps her to a chair, sharing a look with me. Both of us can’t help worrying about Bruce. “Do you know who did this to you?” Nightwing asks as he crouches down by her chair as I get her a glass of water.

“No,” Emma replies with a shake of her head, pausing to take a drink. “I never saw their faces. They always wore ski masks.”

“Would you recognize their voices if you heard them again?” I question her.

“Definitely,” Emma firmly states, determination and anger permeating her ice blue gaze. “I’ll do whatever it takes to put those monsters behind bars where they belong.”

“Did either of you hear anything about where they could be holding the other girls?” Nightwing asks.

“I think I heard one of them talking about a hotel,” Emma informs us.

“Do you remember which one?” I press, placing my hands on the kitchen table.

“I want to say the Grand something…Grand Sparrow?” she says.

“The Grand Spire?” Nightwing tries.

“Yes!” Emma exclaims with a nod. “It’s the Grand Spire.”

“Do you know anything about the Grand Spire?” I ask Dick.

“It’s a historic hotel in Gotham…it’s a little run down, but it’s not bad,” he clarifies. “I’ll have Oracle check into it.”

“We should head there as soon as the police arrive,” I tell him, knowing that he can sense the urgency in my voice.

Nightwing glances out the kitchen window. “It’s going to be light soon.”

“Do you think the guy you caught can tell us anything?” I question him.

“Maybe once he wakes up,” he tells me with a crooked smirk.

“I’ll wake him up,” I icily state as I walk away.

Heading to the living room, I find a man lying on the floor, his hands tied behind his back. Walking up to him, I crouch down, pulling his head up by his hair. It’s not anyone that I recognize. I slap his cheek to rouse him, but not as hard as I would’ve liked to.

The man shakes his head a couple of times, his eyes widening as he stares at me in disbelief. He tries to pull away from me, but I tighten my hold on him. “Who is behind all of this?”

“I don’t know,” he tries to tell me.

Releasing my hold on his hair, I grab hold of the front of his shirt, hauling him up and onto his feet. “That’s not good enough,” I grind out the words. “You see I have no patience left. I’ve been sent on one wild goose chase after another and someone tried to blow me up tonight. My friend is missing and if I don’t find him soon I’m going to lose my temper. You do not want that to happen, do you?”

He stares at me with bulging eyes, my words having their intended affect as he begins to tremble in response to my threat. “No…no…please…don’t hurt me,” he begs. “I’m just paid to watch the girls at night…that’s all.”

“Who do you answer to?” I grind out the words through clenched teeth.

“Trevor,” he reveals. “Him and his cousin Conner. They’re the only two I ever see besides Hector.”

“What’s Hector’s job?”

“He abducts the girls and brings them to the motel,” he explains. “Trevor and Connor are the ones who move them here before taken to the next stop.”

“Where’s the next stop?”

“The Grand,” he says. “That’s all I know. I don’t even know who Trevor and Connor answer to…I swear.”

I hear sirens in the distance, alerting us to the fact that the police will be here any minute. We need to get out of here and to the Grand Spire. Dawn is fast approaching, making investigation in Gotham more than difficult as Nightwing and Nemesis. We would draw far too much attention which is the exact opposite of what we need right now.

Besides, if Scott St. James finds out that we found his farmhouse, he’ll try to shut down his operation by killing everyone or try to move it before we find him. I want to catch that vile piece of scum red-handed in the middle of this so he can share a prison cell with his uncle.

I loosen my grip on his shirt, dropping him to the floor like a bag of cement. I turn to find Nightwing standing there. “We need to get to the Grand Spire before St. James can shut down his operation,” I tell him.

“I agree,” he says as he turns to leave. “Let’s go.”

Entering the kitchen, I stop by the two girls still sitting at the table. “Tell the police everything you know,” I instruct them. “If there’s anything you remember that could help find the others, ask for Commissioner Gordon so he can tell us.”

Kelly and Emma nod their heads in agreement, Kelly standing to her feet and throwing her arms around me. “Thank you so much for saving us,” she murmurs, tears returning with a vengeance. “I owe you my life.”

“You don’t owe us anything,” I reassure her, taking a moment to gently stroke her hair. “You’re going to be just fine. You girls are so strong and brave.”

“We’ll never forget you,” Emma says, hugging Nightwing.

“Take care of yourselves,” I tell them as we head for the door.

I can’t help wondering if this night is ever going to end and, when it does, will I finally have Bruce back in my arms where he belongs?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Will this nightmare ever end??? Answer = YESSS!! Hang in there, friends!! We're so close to finding Bruce and having a beautiful Wonderbat reunion we've all been waiting for.
> 
> UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana struggle to make their relationship work. In the present, Nightwing and Nemesis make a massive discovery at the Grand Spire, but will it lead them to Bruce? Be prepared!! :)


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

_**Wayne Manor; March 27th, 04:47 EST** _

_Entering the darkness of the library, I make my way to the couch with a book in hand, turning on the lamp that sits on the end table. Unable to sleep and not wanting to even try any more, I decide to wait up for Bruce to return from patrol._

_My mind is racing with far too many things right now to try to do little else, my emotions a tangled knot that sits like a painful knot in the pit of my stomach. Things have grown even more tense between me and Bruce as well as among the Justice League founders since the incident a few days ago._

_Lex Luthor has finally been transferred from the hospital to Blackgate prison. There has been little backlash against the Justice League for putting Luthor in the hospital, but Kal has been attempting to smooth over the situation just the same._

_It led to a rather nasty argument between Kal and me yesterday on the Watchtower, neither of us willing to backdown on what we both believe. I don’t think I did anything wrong by delivering a message to Luthor that he won’t soon forget. Maybe next time he’ll think twice before returning to his criminal ways._

_Meanwhile, Kal firmly believes that I went too far and that I need to take a break from the League for a few weeks to regain control over my temper. Unfortunately, Bruce sided with Kal which led to another horrible fight between Bruce and me, one that continued in the Batcave before he left for patrol this evening._

_I had thought that the whole matter of what had happened with Lex Luthor was behind us, but it had evidently been festering beneath the surface waiting to explode. Little did I know that I was all alone in my beliefs, everyone siding against me._

_Bruce feels that I need to take a break as well, backing off on my duties and reducing the number of missions I go on. His agreement with Kal only serves to inflame my indignation and wound my pride. I thought for sure that Bruce would back me on this, taking my side and supporting me. Regrettably, it hasn’t turned out the way that I had thought it would._

_It seems that Kal and Bruce have been discussing this ever since the incident with Luthor, deciding what to do with me. I’m not sure if they think that I’m on the verge of losing my mind or fear that I’m really going to go so far as to kill someone one of these times. Whichever it is, I’m angry with both of them for ganging up on me._

_I’m not going to kill anyone and I’m not trying to get myself killed though I’m sure they think I’m trying to do just that. I’m only doing my job, proving to everyone that I can still be Wonder Woman again despite everything that has happened to Diana._

_I chuckle to myself as I lay back against the cushions of the couch, pulling a blanket over me. Hera, I’m beginning to sound just like Bruce, talking about myself in the third person like this, but now I find that I understand why he does._

_There’s Diana Prince, the director of the charities department at Wayne Enterprises who is a mortal woman with no special powers. Then there’s Wonder Woman, the Amazon Princess of the Gods. Somewhere in the middle there is the real me…Diana…or what used to be me before the abduction happened._

_Now, I’m not quite certain which one is more me or if I’ll ever find the real Diana again. Everything that I’ve known, have been taught, or have believed about myself has been completely obliterated. I’m having to slowly rebuild myself from the ground up, rediscovering who I am bit by bit, what I want, and who I want to be._

_I just hope that I can find a way to make my relationship with Bruce work amid all the chaos that seems to follow us everywhere I go. I fear sometimes that he’s going to give up on me and walk away, throwing up his hands in defeat and moving on to someone else…someone who isn’t as messed up or damaged as I am._

_It just feels as though we take a step forward only to dissolve into arguments filled with anger and frustration. That’s partly why I’m staying up tonight. I want to talk to him, to try to convince him that I’m fine and that I don’t need to take a break. The problem is that I don’t think he’ll buy it._

_I hate fighting with him, especially with all that’s been going on around us. Another girl went missing last night, Katie Keaton abducted from the chemistry lab at Gotham University. It’s eating away at Bruce though he doesn’t talk about it at all. I can see it in his eyes, with how exhausted he’s been. He’s sleeping about as much as I am lately._

_It feels as though we’re still drifting apart, the chasm between us expanding. I feel as though I’m desperately reaching out to him, trying to grasp hold of him, but I end up only grabbing nothing but air. Bruce is always just beyond my reach. It causes a sense of panic to tremble through me, fearing that I’m going to lose him…or even…that I already have._

_Glancing at my book, I try to read a few sentences only to find it next to impossible to concentrate. It’s a book I found downstairs in the cave on understanding the criminal mind. I’m hoping it’ll help me learn how men think and what causes them to commit the horrible crimes that they commit._

_Detective work, profiling, psychological analysis—these are not the things that we are trained in on Themyscira or even know the first thing about. I’m doing my best to learn as much as possible in order to help Bruce with his cases. I’m hoping in time he’ll learn to trust me again to be Nemesis and let me patrol Gotham with him. We work so seamlessly together that it would certainly be an effective way to help curtail the crime in his city._

_I frown as I turn my attention back to my book. It’s a chapter on psychopaths, one that I’m anxious to read, but I find my eyelids are growing heavy despite my best efforts to stay awake. I don’t want to go to sleep. I don’t want to have any more nightmares. Besides, I need to talk to Bruce, to make sure that we’re okay. I have to know that we’re going to be all right._

_Before I know it, I find myself losing the battle, sleep ultimately winning the fight._

_“Beor, I’m going to make you scream.”_

_“Go to hell,” I grind out, refusing to give him an ounce of satisfaction._

_“I love your feisty spirit, beor,” Callahan murmurs against my ear as his hands settle on my breasts._

_He squeezes me hard, his other hand moving to the apex between my thighs. He cups my sex, his fingers pressing into me and forcing me to squeeze my eyes closed as I attempt to squirm away. Unfortunately, I have no place to go, no way to escape._

_I try to break free from the ropes that keep me bound for the thousandth time with no success. All I succeed in doing is rubbing my wrists even more raw than they already are, warm blood oozing down my arms as I continue to struggle against the assault._

_He continues to rub his hand over me, his fingers pressing even deeper inside of me. I feel the burn of bile rising in my throat, but I swallow it down. I breathe slowly through my nose as his mouth finds my breast. He kisses me through my bra, nuzzling me with his nose and lips._

_I struggle and squirm, kicking my legs, but it only seems to spur him on. An electrical current like lightning lances through my body once again causing me to scream out in pain as he presses the cattle prod against my side._

_“See, beor?” Callahan whispers in my ear, pausing to nibble on my earlobe. “I told you I’d make you scream one way or another. My boss won’t let me take you like I want to, but he said that I could play with you to my heart’s content.”_

_I grind my teeth as he kisses along my throat, his teeth sinking into my skin and drawing blood. He licks away the droplets of blood as his hand continues to caress me. I hate this man with every fiber of my being, wishing that I could beat the life out of him with my bare hands and making certain that he never gets the chance to do anything like this to anyone else ever again._

_Unfortunately, I’ve been stripped of everything—my dignity, my pride, my powers, all sense of control. I have nothing left as I dangle from the ceiling, my body not even my own as he continues to grope and fondle me, trying to get a reaction out of me._

_I feel shame and guilt swelling inside of me as I feel my own body betraying me as he continues to stimulate me. I bite at my bottom lip, wanting to cry, but I refuse to. I am an Amazon. We never show weakness no matter the situation…no matter the pain._

_Then, I suddenly feel his fingers repeatedly running through my hair, so gentle it takes me by surprise and temporarily confusing me. I hear my name being tenderly whispered against my ear, reassuring me that I’m safe…I’m with Bruce at the manor and not in that warehouse._

_“Bruce,” I sleepily murmur his name, confused._

_“Shhh,” he softly says as he continues to stroke my hair to soothe me. “I’m right here, Princess…I’ve got you. You’re safe.”_

_I sleepily open my eyes to find Bruce kneeling by the couch, his face so close to mine and his expression filled with concern as well as anguish. He presses a kiss to my temple, his lips lingering there. I try to wake up so I can talk to him, but I’m so exhausted._

_I feel him push the blanket off me before lifting me up into his strong arms. He holds me close to him as he nuzzles his nose in my hair, cradling me like a child. I don’t even have the energy to argue with him that I can walk up to my room under my own strength, savoring the overwhelming feeling of refuge and comfort that engulfs me in._

_I bury my face in the crook of his neck, my hand coming to rest against his chest. I breathe in his masculine scent that makes me lightheaded with longing, my eyes falling closed once more against my will. I must talk to him, making sure that he’s not giving up on me and that we’re going to be okay._

_“Bruce…I’m so sorry,” I murmur as I feel him carry me up the stairs to my bedroom, pressing a kiss to his neck._

_“I know…I’m sorry too, Princess,” he reassures me. “I’m just really worried about you.”_

_Even through my exhaustion, I can hear the fatigue that laces his voice, reminding me once again how deeply this case and what happened to me has been affecting him. I can feel him lower me into my bed, the soft warmth of the pillows surrounding me. I immediately reach for him, my hand capturing his and pulling him to sit on the bed beside me._

_“Stay with me…please,” I utter, gazing up at him through eyelids heavy with fatigue._

_He gently takes my injured hand in his, his thumb caressing my fingers. “How’s the wrist?” he asks instead, bringing my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to my bruised knuckles._

_“It doesn’t hurt,” I maintain._

_My wrist was shattered two days ago during a fight with some of the members of the Injustice Gang. Giganta had taken more work to take down than usual, my wrist ultimately paying the price. J’onn had insisted that I wear a brace on my wrist for a few days to ensure that it healed properly._

_Bruce hadn’t been very happy about it when he’d first seen it. The look in his eyes had told me that he didn’t believe what I had told him about how I had broken it. I’m sure he thinks that I had unleashed my fury on her like I had done with Luthor._

_“Diana—” he begins with a sigh and I fear what he’s going to say next._

_“I’m so sorry, Bruce,” I tell him, keeping him from saying the words that I’ve been dreading to hear. “Please…just don’t give up on me yet.”_

_A soft sigh escapes his lips as he leans down and kisses me on the forehead. “Never, Princess,” he reassures me as he adjusts the covers over me. “I’m not going anywhere.”_

_“Stay with me tonight?”_

_“I can’t, Diana,” he tells me, hesitation filling his voice and I know that he’s holding something back that he doesn’t have the heart to tell me yet. “Maybe another night.”_

_I frown as I look up at him, my already wounded pride taking another blow and prickling my anger. I pull my hand out of his, rolling onto my side to face him. “What is it?” I ask. “Why not?”_

_“I have a couple of new leads I still need to do some research on before I can go to bed,” he informs me, gently tucking a raven curl behind my ear. “I just came upstairs to get something to eat and to check on you.”_

_“I’ll help you,” I tell him as I begin to push the covers aside in an attempt to get out of bed._

_“Absolutely not,” Bruce firmly states, gently pushing me back against my pillows and pulling the covers back over me again. “You need to sleep. You haven’t slept more than three or four hours a night since I rescued you.”_

_“Yes, I have,” I insist with a scowl._

_“No, you haven’t,” he counters with equal obstinacy, his jaw set rigid like steel. “Even you can’t keep going without sleep for that long. It’s catching up to you, Diana.”_

_“I’m perfectly fine,” I tell him. “I can handle it.”_

_“You’re a horrible liar,” he replies, his hand coming to rest against my face, his thumb caressing my cheek. “I just want you to be all right. I need for you to be all right, princess.”_

_“I’m getting there,” I insist. “It’s just taking some time.”_

_Bruce frowns, a sense of sadness filling his expression. “I wish I could believe that, Diana.”_

_“Well, I don’t know how else to convince you,” I coolly state._

_“Get some sleep,” he says. “I’ll see you in the morning.”_

_I sit up and throw my arms around him, burying my face in his neck. He returns my embrace, holding me for several long moments before I finally pull back. I kiss him deeply, not wanting him to leave just yet but knowing that he needs to. I need to let him do what he does best. He’s the only one who can find these girls._

_To my surprise, he readily returns my kiss, his fingers tangling in my hair as he tilts his head. The change in angle makes me moan in appreciation as his tongue continuously caresses mine, my desire for this man only growing more urgent. I pull him down to lay on top of me, needing more of him._

_He momentarily complies, but far too soon he breaks the intimate kiss. His lips linger against mine in a gentle caress before finally fully retreating. His breathing is a little ragged as he claims my lips once more in a heated repeat that is far too short for my liking. I rake my fingers through his hair, but he sits back before it can go any further…before it can become more than either of us can control._

_“Sleep well, Princess,” he softly says with a sad smile. “I’ll see you in the morning.”_

_I slowly nod my head in response, disappointed that he can’t stay with me. I feel guilty for wanting him here with me when these poor girls are suffering unknown horrors that I’m sure goes far beyond what I endured. The sooner he finds these missing girls the sooner we can try to put our relationship back together again and focus on our future._

**PRESENT DAY**

_**Gotham; April 12th, 05:46 EST** _

“I think we should probably survey the hotel before we enter,” Dick told her as they made their way through Gotham.

“I don’t want to wait, Dick,” I tell him. “What if they try to move them before we can get in there?”

“Then we’ll know about it,” he counters. “I don’t want to run in there and be completely outnumbered. It could put the victims in undue danger.”

I bite my tongue, holding back the fact that it never seemed to stop Bruce from running headlong into any given situation, but I know that’s not true. “Fine,” I bite out, my fingers curling into fists. “We’ll do it your way.”

“I’m really not trying to be difficult, Diana,” he tries to soothe me. “I just want to make sure that we’re not running into anymore trouble or a situation that will endanger Bruce and the girls. St. James obviously as someone on the inside at the GCPD that’s feeding him information. I don’t want them to be tipped off, waiting with guns ready the moment we arrive.”

“I know…I know,” I relent with a weary sigh, tilting my head back and squeezing my eyes closed. “I just want to get Bruce back.”

“We will,” he reassures me. “I promise you we won’t stop until we find him.”

“Oracle to Nightwing and Nemesis.”

Hitting the button on the dash, Nightwing responded, “we’re here Oracle.”

“I think I just may have found our leak at the GCPD,” Oracle informed them.

“Who is it?”

“Charlie Sullivan,” she revealed.

“How’d you do that?”

“No time to explain but suffice it to say that he’s not very good at covering his tracks,” she says. “He’s definitely St. James’s inside man.”

“Charlie?” I repeat, remembering how nice he had seemed when I had first met him.

“Keep track of him, Oracle,” Nightwing responds. “I want to know his every move.”

“I’ve already got a track on his cell phone,” she tells us. “I’m following the pings from the cell towers. Right now, he’s still at the GCPD.”

“Have Robin hit his apartment,” Nightwing decides. “I want to know everything about him. Also, I need to know everything about The Grand Spire Hotel. I need to know who owns it and who is running it.”

“You got it. I’m already digging into Charlie’s past as well as his bank accounts,” she informs us. “I’ll keep you posted. Oracle out.”

“There has to be more than just Charlie,” I tell him. “St James is clever. He’s not going to just rely on one man to keep him updated on everything that’s going on in the GCPD. He’ll have several to keep him in the loop.”

“I have no doubt,” he agrees. “The GCPD has always been corrupt. Gordon has worked tirelessly to clean up the department, but there are still a few corrupt officers that continue to crop up.”

“The worst part is that Charlie seemed so pleasant…so genuine,” I point out with a shake of my head.

“The corrupt ones aren’t always the most obvious,” he tells me.

“What about Bullock?”

Dick chuckles softly as we pull to a stop in an alley, The Grand Spires Hotel directly in our sights. “Bullock is what you would label an acquired taste,” he explains. “He’s very rough around the edges, but he’s harmless for the most part.”

“Okay, so how do you want to go about this?” I ask as I stare at the hotel, knowing that dawn will soon be approaching. 

We need to get in there and get them out before it’s too late. There’s no telling how much St. James knows about what’s going on or how close we are to nailing him and shutting down his illegal sex slave ring. The thought of capturing him and putting him in jail with his vile uncle is something that I’m growing desperate to make a reality.

“We’ll have to get to the rooftop and see if we can figure out where exactly the girls are being kept,” he decides. “They’re probably being kept in the basement.”

“I think so too,” I tell him. “Keeping them on the top floor would be far too risky. There’s no way they could transport them up to the top floor without them being noticed.”

“Agreed,” he says with a nod. “We’re going to have be very careful not to set off any sort of alarms and avoid security cameras.”

“Let’s go,” I say.

Just as we both reach for the door handles; a black van comes down the street heading towards the hotel. “Wait,” he tells me.

We sit and watch in tense silence, both of us holding our breaths as we wait to see what will happen next. Oracle beeps in at that moment. “What have you got?” Nightwing asked.

“It took a little digging, but it seems that The Grand Spire Hotel was purchased by MacCaffrey Industries over two years ago,” she reveals.

“That’s it,” I state, a sense of relief washing through me. “We’ve got them.”

“Not yet,” Nightwing reminds me. “We have to find the girls in there as well as proof that MacCaffrey and St. James are involved. Right now, it’s all just circumstantial.”

“I’ll keep digging,” Oracle tells us before signing off.

We watch as two very familiar faces exit the van—Conner and Trevor Mills. “Let’s go,” Dick tells me. “You follow my lead. Do not act unless I do.”

“I know,” I angrily snap. “Let’s just end this already.”

We quickly exit the Batmobile, staying to the shadows as we stealthily steal down the alley and across the street to where Trevor and Connor are lingering outside by the van. Memories of them trying to scare me into leaving Gotham and not testifying against MacCaffrey invades my mind and inflames my fury. I’m more than anxious to get my hands on these two, to make them feel the same fear that they have no doubt instilled into these college students that they kidnapped.

It also brings memories of my own abduction and torture, but I refuse to allow it to control me anymore. I’ve allowed it and the myriad of emotions that accompany those memories to have a foothold in my life, but no longer. I will not allow MacCaffrey or Callahan to have a hold on me any longer.

I am stronger than they are and I will win.

I stay close to Nightwing as we draw closer. He pauses, forcing me to stop as well as. Trevor makes his way to the back of the van, Connor lighting a cigarette. I can feel my heart begin to pound a little harder, but it’s not anxiety or panic or haunting memories that refuse to leave me.

This is very different…this is the thrill of the hunt.

It feels as if the goddess Artemis herself is channeling herself through me right now. I feel energized and I know in this singular moment that my goddesses have not forsaken me. For reasons I may never understand, they had chosen to remain silent over the last six months, but I feel their strength flowing through my veins right now.

I send up a silent prayer to my goddesses, a prayer of gratitude as well as protection over us, the girls, and Bruce. I know with every fiber of my being that this is going to end before the sun rises. How it will end…the goddesses only know, but I will do everything in my power to make sure that Bruce comes home with me when we finally leave here.

Staying near some large dumpsters, we watch as Trevor opens the back of the van. My breath catches in my throat at what I see inside of that van. There is a row of handcuffs dangling from the roof in the back of the van as well as shackles attached to the floor. I swallow hard as my rage burns hotter and hotter.

I swear that these monsters are going to pay if it is the last thing that I do. If I had my way, I would chain them up like the animals they are…for the way that they have treated these women as nothing more than property in order to make a fast buck. They deserve to rot in the Pits of Tartarus.

Trevor crawls inside the back of the van, backing out with a large laundry bag. It doesn’t appear that there’s a body in the bag, but we can’t rule it out until we get closer. He drops it on the ground, closing and locking the back of the van before retrieving the bag and following his cousin to a back door of the hotel.

It appears to be a delivery entrance they unlock and pass through. It doesn’t take Nightwing long to find the security cameras, sending a message to Oracle to shut them down. It only takes a few minutes before we’re off and running towards the hotel, Nightwing picking the lock and gaining us entrance.

Entering, we find ourselves in a dimly lit corridor, Trevor and Connor nowhere in sight. I look to my left and find a storage closet. I turn the knob to find it’s just that—a storage closet full of cleaning supplies. We slowly and silently work our way down the long corridor, stopping and opening doors and finding nothing.

The muffled sound of voices captures my attention, causing me to place a hand on Nightwing’s shoulder and point him in the direction that the voices are coming from. We turn to the right, spotting Trevor and Connor. They’re walking down the lengthy corridor, Trevor dragging the laundry bag behind him.

We stay back, watching them for now. I’ve learned from Bruce and now Dick that we technically have nothing on them until we catch them in the act of a crime. We need to capture them with the kidnapped girls in order to put them away for good.

I swear I can hear the pounding of my blood in my veins, knowing in my heart that they’re leading me that much closer to Bruce. I’m growing desperate to feel him in my arms again, to taste his kisses and know that he’s safe with me where he always should be.

The cousins come a stop before a service elevator, talking about the money they were making and what they planned to do with it. It makes me nauseated to think these men are profiting from the horror and anguish of these young women, selling them as if they are nothing more than just property…a means to a financial end for them.

My skin prickles with the fury and loathing I feel. I just pray that I can contain my emotions enough that I don’t actually throttle these men to the point of killing them. As enticing as that might sound at the moment, I know that is not the answer. I will not become like the Justice Lords—becoming judge, jury, and executioner.

Nightwing and I quickly make our way to the service elevator they had had just taken, waiting for it to return to this floor. I can hear the sound of keys jangling, the soft steady shuffle of feet along the aged linoleum. A janitor or maintenance person is heading this way. We need to make ourselves scarce fast before we’re spotted.

There’s no telling who could be involved in this or how much of the staff at The Grand Spire might be aware of what goes on in the basement of the historic hotel. The sound of someone approaching grows louder, causing us both to glance repeatedly down the hall and mentally prepare ourselves for a possible unwanted encounter.

The door to the service elevator slides open, allowing us entrance as someone turns down the hallway. Nightwing quickly punches the down button several times, the doors slowly sliding closed once more. We both sink back against the back wall of the elevator, relieved that we were able to escape detection.

We know that we can’t relax just yet or let our guard down. I have a bad feeling the worst is yet to come, awaiting our arrival here in the basement that has become a prison to these girls awaiting purchase and transportation to parts unknown.

I hope we can save them all, but even I am not so naïve to believe that we will be able to save all of them. Willow Stevens has already passed on to the Underworld. How many other girls have lost their lives or have already been sold, never to be found or heard from again?

I silently pledge to myself that I won’t give up until I’ve found every single one of them. My own abduction and torture along with this case has opened my eyes to the plight of women everywhere. My story is not my own. Unfortunately, it’s a story that is shared by countless other women who have not been as fortunate as I was…some who did not survive their attack.

The service elevator dings softly, announcing our arrival to the bowels of the hotel. Nightwing and I press our back against the walls on either side of the doors, watching as they slowly creep open. Waiting a handful of seconds, we both peer around the corner to find another dimly lit hallway.

I pause for a moment, focusing my hearing to see if I can detect which way they went. We don’t have time for this to drag out for hours nor do we want it to. The longer this drags out the greater the chance for St. James to find out that we’re here and move his operation while we’re busy searching for the girls.

Hearing voices again, I point to the left, following Nightwing as he leads the way. My throat feels like a desert as we cautiously make our way towards a door at the end of the corridor. Whatever lies beyond it is unknown to us and yet I feel it in my bones that this is what we’ve been searching so long for.

We stop before the door, Nightwing on one side and I on the other side. Listening closely, I can hear Trevor and Connor talking to someone. I’m not sure who they’re talking to, but I also hear the sound of a girl crying. That’s more than enough for me.

I immediately look to Nightwing and it’s as if he can read my mind or the expression on my masked face. He nods once and that’s all the confirmation I need. After all this time…all these dead-ends and crushed hopes, it’s finally time to make our move.

Reaching for the doorknob, I easily crush it in my hand, causing it to crumble like dust. I kick the door down, allowing Nightwing to take the lead despite the overwhelming need inside of me to be the one in control of the situation and the deep-seated desire to lead us into battle. It’s the Amazon in me.

We burst into the room, clearly taking them by surprise if the look of shock on Trevor and Connor’s faces are any indication, but they aren’t the ones who are shocked senseless as my eyes settle on the other occupants in the large room.

“Dear, Hera…no,” I gasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WHAT DID NIGHTWING AND NEMESIS FIND?! You won't believe what they find!
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana goes on a mission with some rookies and things do not go well. In the present, Diana makes a discovery and finds the man who owns her heart. About time, right? :)


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

_**Watchtower; March 27th, 16:05 EST** _

_“Transporting now,” Steel informs us. “Good luck.”_

_The sterile steel walls of the Watchtower vanish before my eyes, giving way to Washington D.C. Reminders of the last time I was here on a mission immediately rises in my mind, but I push it away to focus on the chaos that is being unleashed on it._

_Gorilla Grodd, Solomon Grundy, Cheetah, and Livewire are trying to get their hands on a shipment of gold bullion that is being delivered to the US Mint, but we are here to put a stop to them. “Booster,” I yell. “You have Livewire. Fire and Ice take care of Cheetah and Grundy. I’ve got Grodd.”_

_Each takes off after their assigned villain in hopes of shutting them down quickly and effectively. I’m a little leery of having three rookies on my team like this, but Fire and Ice have already proven themselves to be highly proficient in the field. My wild card is Booster Gold, but I feel he deserves a chance to prove himself. I just pray that he doesn’t let me down._

_I fly straight towards Grodd who is currently holding the armored truck above his head with the two guards still trapped inside and screaming for help. He growls as he spots me flying at him, throwing the heavily armored truck directly at me._

_I deftly catch it in mid-air before carefully setting it down. Unfortunately, the back of the truck is completely empty. They’ve already gotten their greedy hands on the gold bullion that was to be delivered to the US Mint._

_The two guards quickly escape as I turn to face Grodd. He’s already charging towards me with a gleam in his dark eyes and a smug smirk on his face. It only makes me want to pound my fists into his face that much more, to erase that smug expression. I’m more than fed up with the Injustice Gang and their repeated attempts to wreak havoc. It’s gone on for far too long and I’m going to put a stop to it starting with Grodd._

_I fly at him with both of my fists extended before me. He seems to baulk for a second, realizing that I mean business. He turns and grabs a van, lifting it over his head and throwing it at me in a foolish attempt to slow me down._

_Stupid gorilla._

_His attempt only manages to further inflame my fury. I’m angry and frustrated with how they continually put people’s lives in danger with such little regard for human life. They are blinded by their greed and desire for power. It’s a sick depravity that will forever hold them hostage unless we stop it._

_Grabbing the van that Grodd hurled at me, I crush it into a ball before tossing it aside much to his surprise. He growls at me as he charges straight for me, refusing to back down or surrender which is fine with me. I’m more than prepared for a fight._

_I slam my fist into Grodd’s midsection, sending him flying back against the side of a large delivery truck. He leaves an impressive dent as he slides to the ground onto his hands and knees. I spare a glance at Fire and Ice to see them handling Grundy and Cheetah who were trying to escape with the gold bullion._

_Booster Gold is trying to evade Livewire who is currently having fun with him. Her electrical blasts narrowly miss taking him out, constantly keeping him on the defense. I curse under my breath, wishing now I’d brought someone else with me instead._

_I don’t have time to think about it as Grodd lunges at me, his fist connecting with my jaw. His hit has little affect on me. He begins swinging and swiping at me, his claws catching my shoulder and tearing through my skin. I ignore it, attacking with a fierce vengeance of my own. I head-butt him hard, causing him to stumble back. It only momentarily stuns him as he throws himself back into the brawl._

_I instantly retaliate with a series of kicks and punches of my own that slowly forces him back. With a warrior’s cry on my lips, I raise my foot, slamming the sole of my boot into his chest. He stumbles backwards, giving me time to end this. I instantly reach for my lasso, planning to capture him so that I can help Booster Gold contain Livewire._

_I prepare to throw my lasso at him when I’m struck square in the back by an electrical blast that forces me to my knees. I cry out the intensity of the electricity coursing through my body and stealing my breath. I struggle to keep from blacking out, refusing to be taken down._

_I’m forced to my hands and knees as unconsciousness threatens to take over when the pain begins to let up a little. The electrical assault abruptly stops, allowing me to catch my breath. I struggle to get up onto my feet once more, turning to find that Batman has arrived._

_Livewire is wrapped up in a bola, laying on the ground and cursing as she struggles to escape her confinement. Fury lances through me with Batman’s interference. Ever since the incident with Luthor, Kal or Bruce have been showing up on missions that I’m sent on. It’s infuriating that they believe I need a babysitter._

_I’m a founding member of the Justice League, an Amazon warrior and Champion of the Gods. I do not need some man to assist me or hold my hand on every mission. I don’t need someone to help me in my duties or watch over me like I’m some simple child._

_I’ll have to deal with Bruce and Kal later. Right now, I need to find Grodd who has already escaped the area. I turn to find that my teammates have subdued the others, but it does little to squelch the ire that is burning through me._

_Turning, I storm past Batman towards Booster Bold who is rubbing the back of his head as he picks himself up off the ground. “What in Hades was that?” I hiss in fury._

_“What?” Booster asks, clearly stunned by my angry outburst._

_“I gave you one job to do—stop Livewire,” I spit out the words like broken glass. “You couldn’t even do that.”_

_“She tapped into an electrical wire before I could stop her,” he claimed. “Who knew she could do that?”_

_“Everyone,” I nearly yell, ignoring the sensation of blood dripping down my arm. “If you would’ve studied the list of known villains you would’ve been aware of that fact. If you can’t be more prepared and handle your job, then maybe you shouldn’t be out in the field.”_

_I can feel Batman standing right there behind me, his intense glare burning holes through me despite his cowl, but I pay him no attention at that moment. I’ll have to have a private conversation with him later in the cave. Right now, this is about Booster Gold._

_“Hey!” he yells. “I deserve to be out here just as much as you do if not more.”_

_My eyes narrow dangerously with his insolent words and sheer arrogance. I step closer to him, my chest heaving with fury. “Because of you, Grodd escaped—that’s on your head,” I spit out._

_“I’m not taking the blame because you couldn’t take down some stupid ape,” Booster shot back._

_“Why you little—”_

_“That’s enough,” Batman growls, stepping in as Fire and Ice land behind Booster Gold, the police already on sight to take away the others._

_“It’s not my fault,” Booster grumbles under his breath._

_“I said that’s enough,” Batman angrily growls with a ferociousness that startles even me. “You three return to the Watchtower to write up your reports. Booster, you and I will have a private discussion about this later.”_

_Booster frowns, appearing sullen and dejected as Fire taps her commlink for the three of them to be transported up. I whirl on my heel to face Batman, more than ready to unleash my anger on him as well. He presses a few buttons on his gauntlet and in a blink of my eyes I find myself in the dank, dimly lit cave._

_“What are you doing?” I demand to know. “I wasn’t done yet. Grodd is still out there on the loose.”_

_“We’ll catch him, Diana,” he attempts to placate me as he steps down off the transport pad. “You’re in no state to be going after him. You’re injured and your furious. You need time to cool down.”_

_“Don’t tell me what to do, Bruce,” I snap as he removes his cowl and gauntlets. “You had no right interfering like that.”_

_“I had every right as a senior League member and a founder,” he counters as he turns to face me. “You were out of line talking to Booster Gold like that in public.”_

_“He deserved every bit of it and more,” I angrily insist._

_“Yes, he did, but not in the public eye or in front of the news cameras,” he informs me. “The Justice League needs to show a united front in public, not airing out dirty laundry in front of everyone. This is an internal matter that needs to be dealt with privately.”_

_I look away from him with a scowl, knowing deep down that he’s right, but my pride has taken another violent blow and I’m in no mood to admit that he’s right. I’m too furious, too tense to think clearly. I needed to prove myself today to the others. Instead, I looked like a fool who can’t lead a team on a simple mission._

_“Come here, princess,” he evenly says, his tone gentler._

_He takes my hand and leads me to the medical bay. Exhaustion creeps in and over me, winding around me and reminding me that it’s been months since I’ve actually had a decent night’s sleep. It seems to cling to me like a thick blanket that threatens to suffocate me at any given moment. It’s also causing me to be short-tempered…one of the many reasons for my short fuse it seems._

_Bruce returns with the medical supplies, his expression grim as he begins to clean the claw marks on my shoulder. “It feels like I’ve been spending more time patching you up these last few months than kissing you.”_

_There’s a note of sad desperation in his voice that is difficult to ignore. It tears at my heart like Grodd’s claws knowing how deeply it hurts him to see me hurt. I hate causing him more pain and worry. He needs to focus on finding these missing girls, not me and my stupid issues._

_“I’m sorry,” I apologize as my chin falls to my chest with the heavy weight of failure. I seem to be letting everyone down, including myself._

_Fingers beneath my chin force me to lift my head to meet the piercing blue eyes that always causes my breath to catch in my throat and this time proves no different. There is so much emotion swimming there in those depths, pulling me in and wrapping up in his feelings for me._

_“You don’t have to apologize, princess,” he gently tells me. “I just want you to be you again…I need you to be all right, Diana.”_

_I bite at my bottom lip as I avert my eyes. I don’t even have the strength to insist that I’m fine. No one obviously believes me anymore anyways so what’s the point. “I don’t think the old me exists any longer, Bruce,” I softly admit. “Something inside of me died in that room. I don’t know if I’ll ever get it back.”_

_Bruce’s hands slide up into my hair as he cradles my face. “No matter what happened in that room, you’re still my Diana…still the strongest, bravest, most compassionate and infuriating woman that I have ever known,” he tells me with a sincerity that I can’t help but believe. “I know you will find a way through this. I just wish you would find a way to trust me to help you.”_

_“Bruce, I trust you with my life,” I try to reassure him._

_A soft yet sad smile forms on his lips as he stares at me. “I know, but I wish that you would trust me with your heart and the things you keep locked away in there.”_

_He doesn’t give me a chance to respond or to argue with him that I do trust him with my heart. He kisses me with a warmth and tenderness that brings tears to my eyes, but I banish them as my hands move to cup his face as well._

_The caress of his lips against mine is slow and unhurried. It’s as if he’s savoring every possible second shared between us, absorbing the feel of my lips and taste of my mouth and imprinting it into his mind. My tongue instinctively presses against his lips, needing more of him._

_His lips part and I delve into the warm cavern to find his tongue as anxious as mine to taste and to explore and to worship. He pulls me flush against him, making me wish we could be skin to skin. He breaks the kiss before things can grow any more heated than they already are._

_“Let’s get you cleaned up,” he murmurs as he strokes my hair, nuzzling his nose against mine before kissing me once more._

_I can’t help but smirk. “Are you offering to join me in the shower?” I flirt._

_He groans as he pulls away from me, turning his attention back to my wounds. “You’re killing me, princess,” he states as he begins to stitch up the deep gashes in my shoulder._

_“You know these stitches are pointless,” I remind him._

_“Just humor me,” he tells me. “It’s more for me than you.”_

_“Bruce, why do you or Kal keep showing up on my missions?” I ask._

_He frowns as he concentrates on his work, refusing to meet my gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he insists._

_“Ever since Luthor, you or Kal have been showing up on my missions,” I press. “Don’t you two trust me to do my job?”_

_“Diana, the only reason I showed up today was because I knew you were dealing with Grodd and his team with three rookies backing you up…one of them being Booster Gold,” he informs me. “I wanted to make sure you had the backup you needed.”_

_“So, you agree with me about Booster Gold?”_

_“Completely,” he confirms, his brow furrowed in thought. “I just didn’t feel it was appropriate to dress him down in public with the local news camera rolling.”_

_“Fine,” I reluctantly agree. “I said my peace. You can handle him now.”_

_“You know you dropped her guard on your right giving Grodd an opening,” he tells me. “You need to get more sleep. Fatigue caused you to drop your guard, allowing Grodd to get his claws into you.”_

_“How long were you there before you decided to join in?”_

_“A while,” he admitted. “You seemed to have everything under control until Booster let Livewire get away and attack you.”_

_“Are you going to stay long enough to eat dinner or do you have to leave for patrol soon?”_

_“If I stay, will you eat?”_

_“If I eat, will you stay?”_

_“I’ll stay long enough for dinner, but then I need to go,” he agrees. “I have to find Emily. Ethan is going insane.”_

_“You’ll find her, Bruce,” I reassure him. “I can help you.”_

_He draws a deep breath as he nods his head, stepping back to look at me. “Go get your shower,” he suggests, refusing to accept my offer of help. “I’ll meet you upstairs.”_

_“Okay,” I say with a nod, hopping off the table._

_My mind is racing with ways to get him to agree to letting me out of the cave to help him with this case. Unfortunately, I have a strong feeling that nothing that I come up with will ever begin to sway him or his stubborn refusal to allow me to help him._

_This case is too much of a reminder to him of what happened to me, ripping open old wounds and resurrecting past hurts and fears. It’s driving a wedge between us, one that I fear we might never recover from._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 12th, 06:37 EST_ **

I stand paralyzed by what I find, my every muscle rigid. My mind is numb, my tongue thick as my mind works to process what my eyes are seeing. This can’t be real. This has to be some sort of sick, twisted joke meant to deceive us…to throw us off track.

I watch in horror as all four men slowly stand to their feet, clearly stunned by our presence. They obviously never expected to be caught if their expressions are any indication. Trevor and Connor Mills both look at Scott St. James, but the person that has captured my attention is the other person in the room, the one that I had never expected to see again.

Ian Callahan.

How this man is alive is beyond me. I don’t know if it’s really the same man who tortured and assaulted me for five days straight or some sort of clone, but in that moment, all I care about is getting my hands on him and making him pay for what that monster did to me.

They seem to snap out of it as they reach for their weapons. That’s when Nightwing and I fly into action. I immediately head straight for Callahan, more than determined to get answers to the myriad of questions that are swirling through my head.

“Well, what do we have here?” Ian utters with that thick Irish brogue of his.

I instantly feel nausea rising, bile burning the back of my throat with the sound of his voice…the stench of his cologne. It’s the exact same voice that has haunted my sleep for the last six months, the same Irish drawl that belittled me, spoke to me as if I was nothing but his plaything, made threats to me and attempted to terrify me.

“I’m your worst nightmare,” I hiss with a rage so white-hot that I fear that I won’t be able to control it or keep myself from beating the life out of him. I know I must, though, or risk never finding Bruce.

Ian laughs something dark and dangerous, the sound raking like fingernails up my spine and over wounds that refuse to heal. He pulls out his butcher knife—the same damn knife that I felt pressed against my skin and my throat more times than I can count. He threatened my life, taunted my vulnerability, and crushed my pride. He humiliated me in some of the most demeaning ways all the while with that knife’s blade pressing into my flesh or a cattle prod into my side.

I suppress a tremor that threatens to overtake me as we stare each other down. I will not let this vile excuse for a human being have any sort of hold on me any longer. I have allowed him to insert himself so fully into my life over the last six months, but not anymore.

“You have a fiery spirit, beor,” he tells me with a grin as we begin to circle each other. “I like that in my women.”

“I already know what you do to women,” I spit out with a venomous tone that only seems to cause his grin to grow broader and wickeder if that is even possible.

“Either my fame precedes me…or we’ve met before,” he arrogantly replies, his dark eyes slithering over me and making me want to vomit. “And I definitely would’ve remembered you, beor.”

“I thought you were dead,” I state, not taking his bait.

“It’s actually quite easy to fake your death when you have help on the inside,” he freely admits. “Definitely not going back to jail anytime soon.”

His confession just confirms in my mind that St. James has far more in his back pocket within the GCPD besides Charlie Sullivan. “We’ll just see about that,” I angrily grind out as I lung at him with a batarang in both hands.

This is certainly not how I had pictured this mission to go when we first arrived here at the hotel, but here I am facing off against the very demon who still haunts my sleep. I have been given a rare gift of facing my abuser and making him pay for what he did to me. I would’ve preferred using my bare hands as opposed to batarangs, but I’ll take what I can get right now.

We swiftly trade strikes, blocking each other’s moves. I block his deadly blade with the edge of my batarang, the sound of Nightwing battling the other three filling my ears, but I push it aside to focus on the beast in front of me. I have to focus on taking down Callahan before I can help my partner. Besides, Nightwing is highly skilled and efficient, trained by Bruce. I know I shouldn’t worry, but I still do.

The loud crack of his Bo staffs seems to make the whole room vibrate as I slam my boot into Callahan’s chest, not holding back as much of my strength as I normally do when I’m out in the field as Nemesis. He stumbles backwards in shock, glaring darkly at me. His amusement with my appearance is gone and in its place is nothing but sheer rage.

Callahan charges at me again, wielding his butcher’s knife. He makes a sharp slicing motion at me, gritting his teeth with fury as I quickly dodge out of the way. I come up with my fist in an upper cut that takes him by surprise. I resist the urge to completely knock out every single tooth from his mouth but only barely as he spits blood out onto the floor.

I force myself to temper my strength despite the overwhelming urge to tear this man apart with my hands. I want him to bleed. I want him to hurt. I want him to know that I will fight him with my very last breath, keeping him from hurting anyone else no matter what it takes. He almost broke me those five days, but I survived, and I will get back everything this animal stole from me.

Using the back of his hand, he wipes the thin trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, his black eyes gleaming as he stares me down. He slowly licks the blood from his hand, his grin returning. “You’re a feisty beor,” he compliments me. “I’m going to thoroughly enjoy skinning you alive…but only after I’ve had a little fun with you.”

His words and sickening glint in his coal black eyes cause me to momentarily freeze, my breathing growing ragged as flashbacks rises and crash over me like undulating waves. My heart is hammering against my breastbone, my blood pounding in my ears.

I suddenly think of Bruce and how much I love him, how much I miss him and need him in my life. He creates a much-needed calming eye in the midst of the hurricane storming inside of me. I think of my mother and my sisters, my Amazonian heritage and all my training. One by one my goddesses drift through my mind, reminding me of the blessings that have been bestowed on me.

All of them force me to reach down deep inside of myself, grasping hold of the very thing that I feared that I had lost because of Callahan and MacCaffrey. I am not broken or weak because of these two men. I am stronger than ever before because of what I endured.

My lips begin to curl as I study him, refusing to look away from his murderous gaze. “Come and get me if you think you’re actually man enough,” I taunt him.

He chuckles at my presumed audacity as he tightens his grip on the handle of his butcher’s knife. “Oh, beor…I’m going to enjoy every second of this,” he utters with a sneer as he comes at me.

I attack with a renewed fury, delivering a punishing series of kicks and punches. I use the edge of the batarang to slice through his cheek, causing him to roar with rage. He carefully touches the bloody gash, his chest heaving as he slashes at me with his blade again.

I decide it’s time to use more strength and less energy. Exhaustion from the last six months is rapidly catching up to me. I need to put an end to this so I can help Nightwing and find Bruce before I lose him forever. It is unacceptable outcome I refuse to allow happen.

I grab his wrist as he tries to slice my arm, crushing his wrist bones and forcing him to drop his knife. He drops to his knees with the extent of the pain that I’m no doubt causing him as I continue to pulverize the bones to dust. He looks up at me in shock, blood dripping down his face from the deep cut on his cheek.

I release his wrist long enough to grasp hold of his throat. “I should break your neck right here,” I hiss in a deadly low tone that I know that Bruce would’ve been proud of. “It would be so very easy.”

He begins to gasp for the air that I’m denying him, his face turning red. With his good hand, he grasps hold of my arm in a futile effort to force me to let go of his throat, but he can’t stop me now. He is the prey…the victim and I am the predator. The tables have been turned and he is at my mercy now.

I hold all the power, hold his life in my hand. I can’t help but notice the flash of fear that flits through his black eyes that are the very personification of evil. I shake my head as I stare at him. “You’re nothing but a pathetic little man hiding behind his knife and vile words meant to intimidate and scare, but you don’t scare me,” I bite out the words as I lean in close to him, his lips turning blue. “How does it feel to be on your knees and at my mercy? How does it feel to know I could end you right now if I so chose to?”

“Nemesis.”

The sound of Nightwing’s voice breaks through the thick fog of rage as well as the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. My blood is singing with the satisfaction that I feel, knowing that I have conquered the very man who had worked his way under my skin and into my head. He will no longer have a hold on me ever again.

“Death is far too good for you,” I tell him. “I’m going to see to it that you live to be punished for your countless sins.”

Releasing my hold on his throat, he gasps for air, his arms moving to catch himself as he falls onto his hands and knees. I lift my leg, kicking him squarely in the jaw with enough strength to ensure he would be feeling the blow for quite some time after.

He flies backward, landing hard on the ground. I draw a ragged breath, my legs feeling like rubber as I force myself to stay upright. The endless night of searching, the lack of sleep for the last several months on top of the fight with Callahan has completely drained me.

I turn on shaky legs to find Nightwing staring at me with a smile on his face and his hands on his hips. “That was so awesome,” he tells me with utter unbelief. “You were freaking amazing.”

I return his smile, feeling better than I had in a long time despite the fact I’m about to collapse. I glance to my right, finding Trevor, Connor, and Scott St. James all unconscious and secured with bolas. We did it. We are finally putting an end to this horrific nightmare. Now, we just need to find Bruce and the other girls.

“Let’s go find them,” I murmur, forcing myself to put one foot in front of the other.

“This way,” he replies, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder.

I allow him to lead the way, my heart still hammering in my chest for an entirely different reason now. Bruce is here somewhere. I can feel it deep in my bones. I long to see his handsome face, to feel him in my arms, desperate to bury myself in his protective embrace and breathe in his masculine scent.

I feel tears beginning to build behind my eyes as I follow him to a door that has a lock on it. I feel like the edges of my sanity are frayed, about to unravel if I don’t find Bruce soon. I never realized how much of a rock he has become to me until he wasn’t there when I needed him.

Nightwing steps aside and I take the unspoken request. Neither of us want to waste any more time. I quickly grab hold of the heavy-duty lock, pulverizing it. I push the door open, releasing the breath that I didn’t realize I was holding as my gaze falls on Alley Parker and Heather Myers.

They look at us with abject horror, Alley pressing her back up against the wall as she pulls her knees to her chest while Heather curls up into a ball on her bed. “We’re here to help you,” I reassure them as I make my way towards Heather, Nightwing moving to free Alley.

I sit down on the side of the bed, my hand coming to rest against Heather’s head. Tears begin to run down her face as she sits up, throwing herself into my arms. I hold her for several moments, stroking her blond hair and allowing her to release a small measure of the pain and horror that she’s been subjected to.

I hear the chain that bound her to this bed clank against the floor. I’m scared to find out the extent of what these girls have endured, fearing it will match my own and yet terrified it will be even worse than even I can imagine. It’s obvious they have suffered at the hands of these depraved men.

I gently pull back, knowing that we need to find the other girls as well as Bruce. “It’s all right, Heather,” I reassure her, my hand coming to rest against her bruised cheek. “The police are on their way. It’s all over. They won’t be able to touch you ever again.”

“Thank you,” she shakily breathes out the words, unable to control the trembling that now consumes her body.

I glance over at Alley who is handling things about as well as Heather is right now. I can hardly blame them. “Are there any other girls here?” I ask, glancing at Nightwing who is obviously anxious to keep looking.

“I…I think so…” Alley replies.

“We’re going to go look for the others,” I tell them as I get up and turn away from Heather.

“Please!” Heather cries, reaching out and clutching hold of my hand. “Don’t leave us.”

“Hey,” Robin says as he enters the room. “I got here as soon as I could. I took out a couple of guys that were on their way down here.”

“Just in time, Rob,” Nightwing tells him with a smile. “Can you stay with Alley and Heather while we keep looking for the others?”

“Sure thing,” Tim readily agrees, making his way towards Heather’s bed where Alley has already moved to so they could hold each other. “It’s okay now. We’re not going to let anyone hurt you.”

“Thank you,” Alley whispers, grabbing hold of Robin’s hand. “You saved us.”

“They did most of the work,” Robin tells them as we head towards the door. “I just cleaned up the leftovers.”

Tim doesn’t realize how much he truly has helped us throughout this whole ordeal, especially ever since Bruce went missing. He’s been invaluable in helping keep Gotham safe while we searched for Bruce, helping sort through files and dig through piles of information. Bruce is truly lucky to have him as a partner.

Heading to another room, I break the lock, pushing the door open to find there is only one occupant this time. It’s Emily Prescott. “Emily,” I murmur as I rush towards her.

She’s lying on her side in a fetal position on a single bed. She looks up at me with terror permeating her blue eyes. “Who…who are you?”

“We’re here to bring you home,” I tell her. “Your father has been desperately trying to find you.”

“Is he here?” she asked, panic lacing her voice.

“Not yet, but he’s on his way,” I reassure her as I pull her into my arms, Nightwing already picking the lock of her shackle. “Are there any more prisoners down here?”

“Yes,” she replies with a nod, her eyes wide with fear. “There’s a man here. He’s not one of them. He tried to help me, but they stopped him. They beat him for trying to save me.”

“Is he still here?” Nightwing asks.

“I think so,” she says, squeezing her eyes closed as tears began to trickle down her pale cheeks. “I…I could here them torturing him…beating him to get information out of him.”

I feel my heart leap into my throat, clogging my airway and making it difficult to breathe. “Stay here, Emily. We’re going to look for him.”

She nods her head, allowing us to leave without a word. We move on to the next locked door, breaking it down to find what we’ve been frantically looking for the last four days. “Bruce,” I murmur, tears blurring my vision.

“Princess,” he whispers as he stares back at me with a faint smile. “I knew you’d find me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: TAAA-DAAA! I'm super proud of how this chapter turned out and I hope that you loved it too. So much packed into this last part, but I hope I made it worth the wait.
> 
> UP NEXT: Diana has a conversation with Batman on a rooftop. In the present, Bruce and Diana are reunited! :)


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

_**Gotham; March 28th, 01:15 EST** _

_Flying through the night sky, I can see the bright glow of lights that I know is Gotham steadily coming into view. It brings a small smile to my lips and a sense of warmth to my heart. I never dreamed that this city would become home to me or that its vigilant protector would somehow manage to infiltrate my heart._

_Thinking of him brings mixed emotions ranging from deepening love to an unsettling feeling of guilt that I can’t seem to escape. It wraps me as if I’m caught in a snare, tightening around me the more I struggle against it. My refusal to talk about what happened to me is creating an ever-widening chasm between us that I can’t begin to traverse or eradicate, one that we both pretend doesn’t exist but can’t help but feel._

_Talking about what I experienced isn’t going to make it any better nor will it erase the fury-filled memories or the dark hostility that now occupies my soul. I trust Bruce with my life and yet the thought of telling him everything scares me spitless. I’m not afraid of facing the worst that the world can offer but telling the man that I love how humiliated and broken I was for those five days causes a panic in me that is nearly paralyzing._

_I also know that if he knew the extent of what I endured it would end up eating him up inside. I know Bruce. He would internalize it all, never looking at me the same ever again. I already catch him staring at me sometimes with a sorrowful, faraway look in his eyes and I know that he’s thinking about it, revisiting those five days and breaking every part of it down to see what went wrong…why it took him so long to find me…why he couldn’t keep it from happening to me._

_Approaching the top of a building that I know he frequents this time of night, I still find myself anxious to see him, the flutter of butterfly wings in the pit of my stomach erupting in excited anticipation. I missed him today. I find it becoming a little easier to admit that I need him and that I long to see him._

_He makes me feel sane when it seems like everything around me is spiraling out of control. It’s amazing how a man who has so many perceived issues and quirks would be my rock, but maybe it’s because he understands all too well what I’ve been struggling with. He knows those dark depths that I’ve been plunged to and how difficult it is to claw my way back out of that abyss._

_As I draw closer, I decide to see if I can sneak up on him, an insurmountable feat that I have yet to accomplish, but that hasn’t deterred me in the least. If anything, it has made me that much more determined to get the drop on him for nothing more than the sheer pleasure and satisfaction of seeing the look of surprise on his face._

_I come in high to avoid creating too much of an air current, silently floating the rest of the way down. I spot the Dark Knight perched on his usual gargoyle at the opposite end of the roof, a dark smudge that easily blends in with his surroundings. I can feel the corners of my lips begin to creep up as the toe of my red boot makes contact with the rooftop._

_I have finally accomplished the impossible. I have—_

_“What are you doing here, Princess?”_

_—failed once again._

_The gruffness of his voice is like sharp gravel against my skin and yet it causes my desire for him to intensify. He’s all jagged edges and unapologetic brazenness, strength and a hidden charm that creates such a powerful sexual aura. While his forbidding, icy exterior typically offends and turns others away, I’ve always felt myself drawn to him._

_“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I playfully begin, feeling the urge to flirt tonight in order to help lighten the brooding mood that I can feel emanating off him. “I just stopped by because I was anxious to see someone in Gotham.”_

_“Oh, really?” he bluntly states, and I can tell by the rigid set of his shoulders that he’s not willing to play along with me…at least not yet. This kidnapping case is consuming him, knowing his friend’s missing daughter is out here somewhere enduring only Hera knows what._

_“Yes, he’s very dark and intriguing,” I continue to tease, wishing that he would at least turn around to look at me. “He dresses like a bat and flies from one rooftop to another by a rope.”_

_“You don’t say?”_

_I smile to myself as I notice him beginning to relax minutely. I’m getting through to him. “He is very sexy,” I reply with a sultry lilt, my hands finding my hips. “I think I kind of like him.”_

_“It’s pretty dangerous to like a guy who dresses up like a bat,” he rasps something dark and otherworldly. “You should probably find someone better to spend your time with.”_

_“Hmmm…perhaps you’re right,” I coyly tease him, my finger coming to rest against my lips as I pretend to think about his suggestion._

_“I am?”_

_I stifle the laughter I feel bubbling up inside of me as he turns his head to the side, a faint tremor of panic lacing his voice. It’s not something that many would have noticed, but I know this man better than anyone and I notice it. I have him right where I want him._

_“Yah, I mean maybe I should broaden my horizons…shoot for the stars as they say,” I thoughtfully reveal. “What is that popular saying? Sow some wild oats?”_

_I barely pick up on a faint chuckle and I know that I’ve got him now. “Sow some wild oats?”_

_“Yes, you know…play in the hay and take a roll in the barn and all that.”_

_There is no mistaking the deep, throaty laughter that escapes this time, so incongruous with the menacing uniform that he wears every night. “It’s play in the barn and roll in hay, princess.”_

_The deep baritone of his voice has lost a small measure of its original gruffness, but there is still a dark, underlying broodiness to him. “Either way, it sounds like fun,” I decide, my tone light. “Maybe I’ll see what that Kryptonian fellow is up to or you know that red head is kind of cute now that I think about it.”_

_A definite low growl pierces the night air as he unexpectedly whirls on his heel faster than Flash could have, closing the distance between us in three long strides. His arms are around me in such a rough, possessive manner that I don’t even have time to truly register what is happening before his lips are devouring mine._

_My arms slip beneath his cape and around his waist, pulling myself flush against his Kevlar uniform. His utility belt digs into my abdomen, but I hardly care as his tongue thoroughly battles mine for control. Neither of us is willing to surrender tonight, the tangling of our tongues adding even more heat to the passionate moment that consumes us both._

_He breaks the kiss, his breathing ragged and warm against my face as he holds me flush against him. “The red head is kind of cute?” he growls darkly, his tone threatening._

_I bite at my bottom lip to try to contain my amusement. “I had to do something to get your attention.”_

_“I could have done without the mention of the Kryptonian,” he grounds out with a definite air of jealousy._

_“I had pull out the big gun,” I claim. “You were playing hard to get…and I always get what I want.”_

_“Now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do about it?”_

_“This,” I murmur, brushing my lips against his once more._

_This kiss is slower but certainly no less passionate as I tease and nip at his lower lip, earning a throaty groan as my hands press more firmly against his upper back. We kiss and explore with our hands for several long moments, savoring the feel of each other as we take and give and imprint this moment in our memories to dwell on later when we’re apart._

_I pull back enough to press my forehead against his as we just hold each other there in the darkness and the shadows that surround us. The sounds of the city below us are a distant background noise that we both chose to ignore. “I missed you,” I softly confess._

_“I can tell,” he replies with a slight twitch of his lips. “I missed you too. How was your mission?”_

_“Long,” I admit with a weary sigh. “Moving natives out of the way of a monsoon doesn’t exactly rank up there as one of my most favorite things to do.”_

_“It is tedious, isn’t it?”_

_“Definitely,” I agree. “Especially when they feel the need to argue with you in their native tongue about wanting to take their pet donkey with them.”_

_“I thought I smelled something a little off.”_

_I lightly smack his shoulder with the back of my hand. “Oh, you do not either,” I maintain in mock indignation. “How has your night been?”_

_“Slow for the most part,” he reveals._

_“No more leads on the missing girls?”_

_“No…nothing at all,” he says with an abrasive edge to his voice that hints at his underlying frustration and fury over the situation. “It’s as if they’ve all just disappeared into thin air. There’s no sign of Emma anywhere. She was taken just like the others…no trace, no evidence. If anyone knows something, they’re not talking. None of my usual informants have any information to give me.”_

_I can’t help but notice the way his jaw is clenched tightly, the muscles drawn tight with tension. All I want to do is hold him in my arms, to kiss him and to finally show him just how much I truly love him…to try to make it all better, but I can’t right now._

_His hand finds the side of my face, his fingers stroking my cheek and I can’t help but melt into his touch. He leans forward, his lips finding mine in a gentle caress and I feel myself falling all over again. The kiss ends far too soon for my liking. I try to hide my disappointment, but I know that he sees it._

_“What can I do to help you?”_

_“Nothing,” he flatly states, loosening his hold on me, but he doesn’t completely let me go._

_“Come on,” I reply, refusing to give up. “There has to be something I can do to help you find these missing girls.”_

_“You know I don’t want you out here in Gotham,” he firmly reminds me. “You’re already too close to this case without you being out here with me.”_

_I pull out of his hold on me, moving past him to the edge of the building where he had just been a few moments ago. I can feel the wind begin to pull at the ends of my hair, causing the strands to whip as I cross my arms against my chest in a feeling of defiance. “You know I can help you find them,” I insist._

_“And you know how I feel about you being involved in this,” he states, his voice returning to the gruff rasp he’s so well-known for. “I don’t even like you working on the case from the cave.”_

_I close my eyes, drawing a deep breath in an effort to not lose my temper with him. It’s more than difficult when we’re rehashing the very same things that we’ve been arguing about for months now. “Why can’t you understand that I need to help with this?” I question him._

_“Why can’t you understand that I need you as far away from this as possible?” he heatedly grinds out the question, suddenly standing so very close to me._

_I didn’t even realize that he had moved until he spoke again. I feel the brush of his cape against the back of my legs, the heat from his body against my back. The passion of the moment that we had just shared has cooled some as anger and frustration take its place, neither of us willing to back down._

_“You keep trying to shield me from everything,” I stubbornly remind him. “I don’t need protecting. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”_

_“I know you can, but you haven’t been taking care of yourself at all these last few months,” he tells me. “You’ve been needlessly throwing yourself into dangerous situations on missions, you hardly eat and you sleep even less. You come home with more injuries every day. It’s not like you, Diana.”_

_I turn to face him, allowing my anger to reach my eyes as I give him a stony glare. “I am not needlessly throwing myself into situations,” I snap. “I’ve been doing my duty. You know as well as I do that injuries come with the job. You come home all the time with injuries.”_

_“We’re not talking about me,” he rasps. “We’re talking about you.”_

_“I just want to help you find these missing girls,” I press. “Why won’t you let me?”_

_Batman looks away from me, refusing to make any sort of eye contact. “I would have thought it was more than obvious why,” he states, his tone giving me only a fleeting glimpse of the hurt he’s carrying inside of him._

_I decide to push it further, knowing it’ll only upset him even more, but I’m finding it hard to care at this point because he’s being so stubborn. I will not be controlled like this. “I guess I’ll just have to go out on my own to see what I can do about finding these girls.”_

_His head snaps back towards me as if he’s just been slapped, his hands abruptly moving to grip my upper arms in a vice-like hold. “Don’t you dare, Diana,” he growls darkly. “Stay out of it and let me deal with this. It is my city and therefore my responsibility.”_

_“I live here too, or have you forgotten that fact?”_

_He releases his hold on me, taking a step back as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’m not having this argument with you again,” he angrily states. “You will stay out of it. End of story.”_

_“You can’t order me around, Batman,” I utter with a sneer. “I’m not one of your sidekicks that you can tell what to do.”_

_“Diana—”_

_“I have to go,” I state before lifting into the sky._

_I hear him curse under his breath, a heavy sigh escaping his lips and it tears at my heart. Why do we always end up like this lately? We can’t seem to get along for very long before we end up arguing, one of us angrily storming away to nurse our wounds that invisible to the naked eye._

_I fly straight to the manor, my anger bubbling beneath the surface. I’m sick of being treated like I can’t take care of myself, needing a babysitter or being told what I can and cannot do. I am an Amazon warrior. I do not need anyone’s permission to do anything. I can do what I want to do._

_“Watchtower to Wonder Woman.”_

_“Wonder Woman here,” I reply._

_“We’ve got a situation in Central City,” Steel reveals. “Flash could use some backup.”_

_“I’m on my way. Wonder Woman out.”_

_I instantly change directions, anxious for something to do to get my mind off everything. Pouring all my emotions into a mission is all I feel I can do anymore. If they take this away from me, I’ll have nothing left._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Gotham; April 12th, 07:59 EST_ **

I choke back the sob that rises in my throat as I race towards him. His wrists are handcuffed to the arms of the chair, his legs shackled as well. His face is covered with bruises and cuts, his left eye partially swollen. There’s a large blood stain on his upper chest near his left shoulder that makes my heart skip a beat with the fear that pounds through me.

I drop to my knees right in front of him, a tear slowly trickling down my cheek. I reach out with trembling hands to caress his bruised face, almost afraid to touch him for fear I’ll cause him more pain. “I…I thought I’d lost you,” I softly choke out the words that almost get clogged in my throat.

“I’m not that easy…to get rid of…princess,” he hoarsely manages to utter, coughing violently in the process.

“I’m going to get you out of here,” I reassure him.

I quickly break the handcuffs and chains, carefully slipping an arm around his shoulders and another under his knees. He gasps sharply, his eyes falling closed and it causes me to fear the worst. “Bruce, please…stay with me,” I plead with him as I glance over at Nightwing who is standing at the doorway with fear clearly written on his face.

Bruce squeezes his eyes against the pain that I know he is in, his breathing labored as he struggles to stay conscious. “Wait…Emily…I have to find her.”

“We’ve got her as well as Alley and Heather. Robin is staying with them until the police arrive,” I tell him, holding him close against my body in an effort to brace any broken bones that he might have. I don’t want to jostle him too much, but I need to get him out of here and to Alfred right away. I also need to escape before the GCPD arrives.

He begins to struggle against my hold on him, causing my worry to spike. “I can…walk…” he tries to insist with a scowl.

I know he loathes being carried like this. Even out of his costume, he detests appearing weak or vulnerable in front of anyone. That is the last thing on my mind, though. All I can think about is how proud of him I am…how deeply I love him and how I think he’s the bravest man that I have ever known.

“Forget it,” I snap. “You’ve put me through hell the last few days, Bruce Wayne. I’m carrying you out of here and you’re going to like it. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he murmurs with a faint smile.

Nightwing chuckles as I head towards the door. “Glad to see you made it,” he tells him.

“I had no choice,” he replies with a grimace. “She would’ve come down to Hades…and kicked my ass if I hadn’t.”

I glance down at him to see his lips curled slightly, his head resting against my shoulder. “Just rest,” I say. “I’ll get you home as fast as I can.”

I look to Nightwing who gives me a nod. “I’ve got this here…just go.”

I silently nod my head in agreement, thankful that he and Robin are here to ensure Callahan and the others are taken into custody. “Thank you,” I murmur my gratitude.

Cradling Bruce gently in my arms, I make a quick escape as the police begin to arrive, shooting straight up into the sky and above the clouds to avoid being detected. There is so much that I want to tell him, things that I’ve been aching to say to him, but now is not the time. He needs medical attention right away. 

Hopefully, there will be time to talk after he recovers.

_**Batcave; August 12th, 19:31 EST** _

“I love him, mother,” I tell her. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before in my entire life. He makes me happy….complete in a way I can’t understand.”

Her hand comes to rest against my cheek, her expression stern yet her eyes are tender. “As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” she gives her blessing. “Have you told him yet?”

“Told him what?” I ask, pretending I don’t know what she’s talking about. I bite at my bottom lip, averting my eyes under her scrutinizing stare. I feel my heart begin to crumble. “No, I haven’t yet.”

“He deserves to know, my sun and stars,” she tells me. 

“I know, but I…I fear that I’ll disappoint him,” I reveal. “What if after everything that we’ve been through, this is the reason that he walks away from me?”

“Then, it isn’t meant to be, Diana,” she gently replies. “You know as well as I do that you can’t build a life with someone you love if you’re not being honest with him.”

I release a sigh, my throat tightening almost painfully as hot tears begin to form. “I just love him so much,” I confess, drawing a shuddering breath. “I can’t bear the thought of losing him…especially over this.”

“If he truly loves you, it should not matter,” she says.

“Diana…”

The sound of Bruce’s voice stirs me from my dream, reminding me that he and I have so much that we need to work through, but I’m determined to do whatever it takes to make this relationship work. We’ve come so far, endured too much together to not give this everything that I have.

I sleepily open my eyes to find him lying on his side in his bed staring at me. The bruises on his pale face seem to stand out even more with the sunlight streaming into his bedroom. While his injuries were quite extensive, Alfred reassures me that he’ll make a full recovery in a few days.

I lean forward in my chair by his bed, my brow furrowing. “Are you all right?” I ask him. “Is there something I can get for you?”

“No,” he replies. “I’m all right now that I’m back home with you.”

I move to sit on the edge of his bed, my hand coming to rest on his. “You scared the life out of me,” I confess, my bottom lip begging to tremble as I avert my eyes. 

I feel those pesky tears threatening to form once again, but I no longer care. I allow them to come as I finally gaze into those piercing blue eyes that I’ve missed…the very eyes that seem to know me better than I know myself.

With a grimace, he forces himself onto his back, propping himself up against the pillows. “Come here,” he murmurs, lifting his right arm.

I carefully slide in beside him, laying my head on his chest as he wraps his arm around me and it feels like coming home. “I’ve missed you…so much,” I whisper.

“I really missed you too,” he admits, kissing the top of my head. 

I gently caress his chest between his bandages, being careful of his injuries. “I thought I’d lost you…that I’d never get to see you again or hold you…kiss you.”

“I knew that you’d find me,” he tells me, his voice still sounding weak. “Did you find Callahan?”

I instantly grow tense with his question, shuddering with the reminder. “Yes,” I reply as I turn to momentarily press my face into his chest, relishing the new memories that I have of Ian Callahan. “I had the pleasure of introducing him to my fists. He didn’t like the meeting very much.”

Bruce chuckles softly, groaning with the pain that it induces. “I’m so glad that you finally got the chance to confront him.”

“It was quite unexpected,” I confess with a frown.

“I wanted to choke the life out of him when I saw him,” he tells me. “It took everything I had not to beat him, but I had to find Emily and the other girls.”

“Do you think that Declan was behind faking his death and getting him out of jail?”

“It was either him or St. James,” he reveals. “I need to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

“Dick is already taking care of that,” I inform him. I feel him relax minutely as he gently rubs my back, each of just savoring the feel of being in each other’s arms again. “We were able to rescue five of the girls, but Willow is dead. Michael Kozak raped and killed her.”

“I know,” he replies with a haunting tone. “I couldn’t save her. She had already been moved to another safe house.”

“There are still girls missing, Bruce,” I say. “How in Hera are we going to find them?”

“I will do whatever it takes to find them,” he reassures me, the fierce determination in his voice strengthening my confidence and giving me hope once more. “I’m going to visit Callahan and St. James in jail and see what information I can get out of them.”

“What were they doing with them?”

“Selling them as wives overseas,” he states. “I managed to infiltrate their ranks, but they caught me trying to free Emily. Callahan tried to get me to tell him who I really was and who sent me, but I refused to cave no matter what he did to me. I could’ve escaped, but they threatened to kill Emily if I tried anything.”

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” I apologize. “He can be quite persuasive at times.”

He tightens his hold on me, pressing a kiss to my hair. “Don’t be sorry,” he tells me. “A part of me is actually glad it happened. It allowed me a chance to understand a little bit of what you went through with that animal.”

“Bruce, no…please…” I begin, unable to continue as I bury my face in the crook of his neck. I can’t bear the thought of Bruce suffering at the hands of Callahan.

“Yes,” he insists, tightening his hold on me. “I know I didn’t go through near the torture and trauma that you did or the sexual assault, but I understand a little better why it’s been so hard for you to get past it all. There were a couple of times that he really tested my sanity.”

“I never wanted you know that pain,” I firmly tell him, pulling out of his hold and sitting up on the edge of the bed again. I lean forward, holding my head in my hands as my elbows come to rest on my knees. “I never wanted you to know how close he came to breaking me. You didn’t deserve that.”

Bruce abruptly sits up, wincing with the movement. “And you think you did deserve that?” he demands to know as he forces me to face him, his tone revealing his barely controlled anger with the thought.

I look away from him, unable to withstand the fury and disbelief blazing in his eyes. I swallow hard, trying to catch my breath, but it’s difficult. “I hurt you so much these last several months,” I softly say, shaking my head as the tears return again.

He grabs hold of my upper arms, forcing me to look at him. His expression is fierce, rendering me speechless. If I didn’t know him so well, I’d be terrified right now. “I have not been hurt by you,” he heatedly states. “I’ve been hurting _with_ you… _for_ you. Seeing you in so much pain…helplessly watching you struggle to comes to terms with everything has been killing me inside.”

“I know and I’m so very sorry I put you through that, Bruce,” I tell him, tears blurring my vision. “I’ve been keeping you at a distance…refusing to allow you into my own private hell in an effort to protect you. In trying to protect you, I hurt you and I—”

“No…no, princess,” he murmurs, his hands cradling my face. “There is no other place I’d rather be than with you.”

He places butterfly kisses over my lips and cheeks…my nose. He kisses away my tears, but they begin to fall faster than he can begin to stop them. I wrap my arms around him, releasing a measure of my hurt and grief as we hold one another.

I feel as though I have no right to be pouring out my hurts after what he has just endured. He has been through a horrific experience as well, one that we now both share in some ways. It further binds us together forever, connecting us in ways that only we can truly understand.

He rubs my back, waiting for me to regain some measure of control once more. I know there is still so much more that we need to talk about, but it can wait. Right now, though, there’s one more thing that I must tell him. It’s something I should have told him long before now.

Pulling back, my hands settle on either side of his jaw. “I love you, Bruce Wayne,” I tell him, my thumb gently caressing a cut on his cheekbone before lightly tracing his lips. “I was so afraid you were going to die and that you’d never know how deeply I’ve fallen in love with you.”

His azure eyes brighten, the fine lines around them softening as he slowly leans in to kiss me. He pauses just before our lips meet. “I love you too, Diana Prince,” he whispers.

His lips connect with mine with a tenderness that makes me want to cry. I can feel the love that I know that he carries in his heart for me. I return his kiss with growing passion, feeling whole and complete for the first time since I was first abducted. 

I don’t know whether it’s because I’m beginning to truly come to terms with everything that has happened to me or maybe it’s because I’m finally able to tell him how much I love him. Either way, I know that he can feel the change as well as he buries his fingers in my hair and pulls me closer to him.

Unfortunately, it’s too much too soon as he pulls away with a sharp gasp. I instantly release my hold on him, afraid that I’ve hurt him. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “Are you all right?”

“Yah,” he grunts as he leans back against his pillows again. “Just give me a couple of days and then you can kiss me like that any time you want to.”

I can feel my cheeks growing warm as I focus my attention on readjusting the covers over him. “I should let you sleep,” I tell him as I begin to retreat.

He captures my hand, refusing to let go of me. “Please, don’t go,” he insists, his intense gaze silently pleading with me. “I want to know what happened to you while I was gone.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, settling back down on the edge of his bed.

“Something has changed in you,” he tells me, his thumb caressing the back of my hand. “The light has returned to your eyes again. It’s been gone for so long. I’d almost forgotten just how much I love seeing it.”

I tuck a raven lock behind my ear, running my tongue over my bottom lip as I try to sort out my thoughts. “When I couldn’t find you and we had no idea where you were, I kind of lost it,” I confess with a measure of embarrassment.

“Lost it?” he questions me with a frown, concern flooding his face.

I bite at my bottom lip as I nod my head in confirmation. “I went to the training room and kind of broke your punching bag,” I continue. “I was just so furious and so scared that something had happened to you. I couldn’t hold in all the rage and resentment that I’ve been carrying inside of me any longer and I just started crying. I couldn’t stop.”

“Diana,” he murmurs, bringing my hand to his lips to kiss my knuckles. “I wish I could have been there for you.”

“Me too,” I admit with a small smile, “but Dick called Kal and next thing I knew he was there for me, holding me and just letting me cry. While I wish you could have been there with me, I know now that it was something that I needed to do for myself before I could begin to truly let you in again.”

“I’m so proud of you,” he tells me. “You’re so determined and strong…stronger than anyone I’ve ever known.”

Before I have a chance to protest or disagree with his assessment of me, a knock at the door lets us know that we have company. “Come in,” Bruce calls.

The door opens and Alfred pokes his head in, a smile gracing his face. “I thought I heard voices in here,” he says. “I have some food here that is in need of being consumed and I just so happen to know of two people that are in dire need of putting meat back on their bones.”

“I’m starving,” Bruce replies, sitting a little further up in his bed.

“I’m happy to hear that,” Alfred announces as he pushes a silver cart into Bruce’s bedroom. “I took the liberty of preparing a romantic dinner for two.”

“I don’t know how romantic it is seeing how I’m all banged up and laid up in bed,” Bruce claims.

“Well, then, call it a celebratory dinner,” Alfred decides, placing the cart beside me. “I’m sure Miss Diana wouldn’t mind feeding you.”

“It would be my pleasure,” I tell Alfred.

“If you should need anything else, please let me know,” he replies before making a hasty retreat.

I reach for one of the trays, removing the cover to reveal a meal fit for a king…or the Prince of Gotham. Grabbing a fork, I pierce a piece of pork, before bringing it to Bruce’s lips. I can’t help but smile with the way he’s looking at me, his expression growing tender.

“What?” I ask.

“I just haven’t seen you smile like that in so long,” he softly says, his eyes shining a little brightly. “I was afraid I’d never get to see it again.”

“I’m sorry,” I murmur in shame.

“No, no more apologies, princess,” he sternly states. “We’re only moving forward from here.”

I reluctantly nod my head as I raise the fork to his lips once more. “Fine,” I relent. “Now, eat.”

“You know I can feed myself,” he insists with a frown. “My ribs are broken, but not my arms.”

“You took care of me after I was abducted, Bruce,” I remind him. “It’s my turn to take care of you.”

His lips quirk into a smirk as he gazes at me with a smoldering look that causes me to flush inside. “Will you kiss all of my hurts for me?” he flirts.

“Every last one…wherever they are,” I tease.

“I’m holding you to that promise,” he sternly replies.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I tell him, kissing him softly before offering him his dinner once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Awww, they're together again!! Just one more chapter and then the epilogue. I promise you the next chapter is definitely going to be worth the wait!
> 
> UP NEXT: In the past, Diana hits her lowest point. In the present, Bruce and Diana finally give in to their love for one another. :)


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

_**Newark, New Jersey; March 30th, 12:33 EST** _

_I fly through the building at a high rate of speed, dodging equipment and boxes and narrowly missing a wall. I shoot through doorways on a search for the other bomb that Joker has planted as a diversion. Superman is screaming in my ear to get out of the building, his x-ray vision spotting the massive bomb set to explode._

_I know if I can just get to it in time I can keep it from exploding and taking the whole building down. I know we were able to get everyone out of the apartment building, but I can’t allow hundreds of people to lose their home or all their possessions._

_“Damn it, Diana!” Clark roars like a fierce lion in my ear. “Get out of there now! It’s about to blow!”_

_I turn my commlink off as I fly into the basement. I can hear the timer on the bomb ticking its way down. I just…need…a few…more…seconds. I grit my teeth and dig down deep for just a little more speed to stop this utter madness._

_Sweat forms on my brow and trickles down my back as I draw nearer, refusing to give up. These people…these families need Wonder Woman and I am not about to fail them. I can do this. I have to prove to my teammates and to myself that I’m perfectly fine and fully capable of performing my duties._

_Just a few…more…seconds…_

**_Watchtower; March 30th, 23:25 EST_ **

_I slowly become aware of the constant beeping next to me, my brain feeling so very foggy. It’s the bomb. I must try to stop it before it detonates. I attempt to open my eyes, but they refuse to obey. I manage to lift my arms, trying desperately to reach the bomb despite the fact that I can’t open my eyes._

_“Diana…”_

_My name is so distant as if I’m in a tunnel and yet it startles me as does the feel of determined hands attempting to hold me down. I struggle against whoever is trying to stop me from getting to the bomb. My head feels as if it’s about to explode as well, the fierce pounding echoing in my ears. I hurt from head to toe, but I refuse to give up._

_I struggle harder despite the pain, memories of Callahan flashing like fireworks in my head. I will not let that vile animal touch me ever again. I fight as hard as I can, but I feel so weak and exhausted. Every move I try to make seems to take so much more than I have._

_“Diana, stop!” the voice yells. “It’s Batman…it’s Bruce.”_

_Something inside me latches onto the familiar voice as well as all the love that the mere mention of his name awakens within me. It’s Bruce…my Bruce. I have to save him. He shouldn’t be here. He’ll be killed if I don’t get him out of here._

_“No…Bruce…no,” I murmur, fighting back tears that clog my throat._

_“Shhh, Diana, listen to me…listen to my voice,” Bruce says, his breath warm against my ear and his hands gentle against my face. “Stop fighting. You’re safe now…we’re all safe. It’s over. You’re on the Watchtower.”_

_I immediately force myself to relax, suddenly realizing that I’m in a bed. I struggle to open my eyes, my eyelids feeling so heavy. “Bruce?” I whisper, trying to understand what’s going on as I turn my head to find him leaning over me._

_“I’m right here, princess,” he reassures me, gently stroking my hair._

_I frown as I try to focus my vision, noticing his uniform is covered with dirt and torn in places. “Are you all right?” I ask, trying to sit up as worry slams hard into me but the pain that lances through me is too overwhelming._

_He sits down on the edge of my bed next to me, lowering his head. He slowly removes his cowl, allowing it to rest against his back. The sight that greets me nearly breaks my heart in two. The part of his face not covered by his cowl is streaked with dirt. His eyes are bloodshot, the heartache that swims there stealing my breath._

_I reach up to caress his cheek, his eyes falling closed as he melts into my touch. “I’m better now,” he finally murmurs, his eyes opening and revealing the tears that he’s trying so hard to hold on to._

_“Hera, Bruce…what happened?” I ask._

_“I thought I’d lost you…again,” he manages to choke out, taking my hand from his face to lace his fingers with mine. He draws a shuddering breath, unable to speak anymore._

_Guilt and shame rush through me like a tidal wave threatening to drown me. I sit up, throwing myself into him and wrapping my arms around him in a desperate attempt to ease his pain. He doesn’t return my embrace at first, scaring me senseless. What have I done? Have I pushed him too far?_

_His arms slowly rise to encircle me, returning my embrace. He buries his face in the crook of my neck, drawing a shuddering breath. I hold him for several long minutes before he’s finally able to compose himself. He pulls back just enough to kiss me, his lips gently caressing mine as if assuring himself that I’m really here with him._

_He abruptly releases me, pulling away and moving to stand to his feet. It’s as if an invisible wall abruptly shoots up all around him in an attempt to shield himself from me. I lean back against my pillow, a wave of dizziness making the room spin. I move my hand to rub my forehead, finding a bandage there._

_“What happened?” I ask, fighting to remember, but it’s difficult to put the pieces together._

_He begins pacing back and forth at the foot of my bed, clearly grappling with something that he can’t seem to grasp hold of or he can’t let go of. “The bomb went off, Diana…that’s what happened.”_

_His voice is low and dangerous, the fear and worry and fear all running right there beneath his skin demanding to be released. “I thought I could stop it in time,” I softly reply._

_“You couldn’t,” he grinds out the words with barely contained anger. “Clark told you to get out of there because the bomb was about to detonate.”_

_“I was so close to getting to it,” I insist, my pride taking a blow with being talked to like this._

_“If you had been much closer, it would’ve killed you, Diana,” he rasps with a deadly air. He’s near trembling as he stops beside my bed, glaring down at me. “As it was, you had the entire building…come down…on you.”_

_He just barely manages to get the last few words out before fear of what had happened to me steals his breath. I can see all his emotions surfacing on his face and playing out for me as he struggles to keep them contained. His eyes are shining brightly again, but the momentary loss of control passes as he visibly steals himself against the onslaught of emotions I can feel vibrating from him._

_He continues on, not allowing me to respond yet. “You were buried alive under tons of steel and brick. It took us nearly an hour to find—”_

_He abruptly stops, drawing a ragged breath. He averts his eyes away from me, choosing instead to study the monitors that I’m hooked up to. “You turned off your commlink.”_

_His voice is rough and broken now and I don’t know what’s worse—when he sounds like he’s about to crack from the emotional strain or when he’s so furious he can’t see straight. Both causes me pain knowing how much anguish that I’ve brought him._

_“I’m sorry,” I softly reply, my gaze focused on the covers of my bed._

_I know I don’t want to see the rest of me right now. Besides my head, both arms have bandages on them. The parts of my skin that aren’t covered with bandages are marred with deep cuts and bruises far too numerous to even begin to count._

_I know it’s only hurting him that much more to see me like this. I had sworn to myself I wouldn’t cause him any more pain after I’d been abducted, but that’s exactly what I’m doing to him and I hate myself even more for it._

_He’s suddenly sitting on the edge of my bed again, his hands wrapping around my upper arms and forcing me to meet his gaze filled with such hurt and fury. “I don’t want apologies, Diana,” he snaps. “I just want to know why.”_

_“Why what?” I ask, dreading where this conversation is no doubt heading._

_“You know why,” he growls, his patience wearing thin. “Why are you purposefully throwing yourself into dangerous situations like this?”_

_“I’m not,” I insist, growing angry with his interrogation. He’s treating me as if I’m some rookie instead of a founder._

_He tightens his grip on my arms, his blue eyes darkening like an impending thunderstorm about to erupt. “Are you trying to kill yourself?” he demands to know, refusing to backdown or to let this go. His voice is choked with such raw emotion, fury burning in his azure eyes. “Do you have a death wish? Do you want to die?”_

_The question hits me like a punch delivered by Darkseid. How could he possibly think that I’m suicidal? “No, I’m not trying to kill myself,” I furiously state. “I would never do that. That’s the coward’s way and I am not a coward. I am an Amazon.”_

_“Then why, Diana,” he yells at me, his chest heaving with the weight of the emotions storming through him…pain that I caused him. “Why do you keep trying to hurt yourself?”_

_“Bruce, stop.”_

_Kal’s deep, commanding voice captures both our attention, but Bruce doesn’t release his hold on me. “Stay out of this, Clark,” he growls, his tone dark and threatening as he stares me down._

_“Go take a break,” Kal practically orders him, his voice broking no room for argument as he comes to stand behind Bruce. He’s clearly ready to intervene if he deems it necessary._

_I don’t need a big brother stepping in to fight my battles or to rescue me and I definitely don’t need the man that I love questioning my motives for everything I do. I jerk free of Bruce’s hold on me, my anger hot and my pride wounded along with the rest of me. “I’m fine, Bruce,” I mechanically insist, shutting down._

_Bruce’s expression grows incredibly despondent and I almost weep knowing that the source of his pain is all because of me. All I ever wanted to do was to love him, to show him that he deserved to know happiness with someone who truly cares about him—not just the Bat or the playboy but the real Bruce._

_“No, you’re not fine, princess,” Bruce murmurs, standing to his feet at he stares at me a heartbeat longer. “This is far from over. I refuse to let you continue to hurt yourself like this. I will fight for you with everything I have even if you refuse to fight for yourself.”_

_He glares daggers at Clark before pulling his cowl over his head and leaving the room. Clark releases a sigh before settling down on the edge of my bed as I pick at invisible loose threads in the blanket that covers me._

_“How are you feeling?” he gently asks, clearly tormented by what happened to me._

_“I’m fine,” I lie, refusing to make eye contact with him. I don’t want him to know just how much pain I really am in or how deeply upset I am by the fight with Bruce. I hate myself for hurting the man that I love._

_His large hand comes into my line of sight, his fingers wrapping around my hand. I turn my head to meet his knowing gaze. “You’re a horrible liar, Di,” he tells me with a sad smile, squeezing my hand. His expression grows somber and I know what’s coming. “He’s been an absolute mess from the second that bomb went off with you inside that building. He was like a man possessed…digging through the rubble in an effort to get to you, screaming your name in hopes that you would hear him. I haven’t seen him like that since…”_

_He doesn’t finish the sentence. He doesn’t have to. “Since I was abducted…” I silently finish for him._

_“He loves you…so much, Diana,” he tells me, his voice cracking with emotion. “I’ve never seen him in love with anyone the way that he loves you. He’s so terrified of losing you it’s nearly driving him insane.”_

_“I’m not going to leave him,” I whisper, afraid if I speak any more I’ll break down in tears._

_“Not intentionally, but you can’t keep doing this,” he replies, and I can see in his eyes that I’m hurting him as well. “You can’t keep going like this. You may be immortal, but you’re not indestructible. You can only push yourself so far before life pushes back.”_

_“I really am fine, Kal,” I attempt to reassure him, but my voice and the words pouring out sound so hollow even to me._

_“A severe head concussion, multiple contusions, internal bleeding, broken ribs, a punctured lung, a fractured femur,” he rattles off. “Do you want me to go on with the list of injuries you sustained with that entire building falling on you?”_

_I draw a deep breath, wincing with the pain that shoots through my side. “It’ll all be better in a couple of days,” I remind him. “I’ll be good as new.”_

_“And then what?” he demands to know. “Are you going to throw yourself in front of a hail of bullets? Will you try to take on Darkseid by yourself or will you just continue to run yourself ragged until you drop from exhaustion?”_

_I scowl darkly as I avert my eyes. “You all treat me as though I’m some damn trainee,” I snap. “I’m a founder, Kal. I know what I can and can’t handle.”_

_“I don’t think you do…at least not now,” Kal states, releasing my hand. “We love you, Diana. Bruce is right. We’re not going to just stand by and watch you continually try to hurt yourself. You may not care about yourself anymore, but we still do.”_

_Kal stands and walks out, leaving me all alone with nothing but my tormented thoughts and the incessant steady beeping of the monitors at my bedside. I press my head back against my pillows, squeezing my eyes closed against the voices I can hear right outside my door._

_Kal and Bruce are arguing about me just outside my closed door, both believing they know best how to deal with me and my current situation. It almost sounds as though they’re about to come to blows over me, but I don’t care anymore. Nothing seems to make sense to me—not my beliefs, my life, my relationship with Bruce or my teammates…nothing is right in my world and may never be again._

_Every time I think that I might be beginning to scrape and crawl my way out of this dark abyss I find myself in, I find myself falling…spiraling even further away from the top. I’m at the bottom looking up only to find there is no light at the end of the tunnel. The light that I used to believe was there has been snuffed out._

_And I feel so very alone._

**PRESENT DAY**

**_Wayne Manor; April 26th, 18:24 EST_ **

Gazing at my appearance in the mirror one last time, I consider the dress I’ve chosen to wear tonight, my apprehension reaching an all new high. I draw a deep breath in an effort to regain some semblance of control, wondering how he can already have me so off-balance when I haven’t even seen him yet today.

The last two weeks have been an absolute whirlwind of emotions, full of heartrending confessions and shared fears as both of us try to navigate our way through all of this. It’s been something that we’re both still working on, but we’re making progress together.

Bruce has been so understanding and compassionate, allowing me to reveal the horribly dark secrets I’ve been harboring in my heart. He patiently listened as I disclosed how close to being broken I had come those five days. It was difficult revealing how vulnerable I had felt, how I had struggled so greatly with who I was as well as everything that I’d ever believed about myself. 

Everyone always viewed me as Wonder Woman, the most powerful woman in the world. For those five days, I had been anything but her and I feared that I never could be her again.

He held my hand and gave me strength as I divulged the dreadful details of my assault…how Callahan’s fingers had groped me and invaded my body, the way that monster had repeatedly bit and tortured me, humiliated me, stripping me of all control and sense of worth.

I’ll never forget the pure rage that had blazed in Bruce’s eyes as I told him every sordid detail that I had withheld from him, the way that he had trembled with the extension of his fury. He held me close afterward as I cried uncontrollably, continually stroking my hair and telling me that he loved me no matter what Callahan had done. 

Instead of my confession driving him away, it ended up bringing us so much closer together, far more than I had ever dreamed was possible.

Bruce has thankfully made a full recovery from his abduction and the injuries he sustained, both of us now sharing a common bond with having experienced Callahan’s special brand of mental and physical torture. Being sexually assaulted is still something that I bear alone, but I understand now that I don’t have to deal with it alone.

I lightly run the tips of my fingers over my forearms, thankful that there are no longer deep gouges and scratch marks. My subconscious efforts to erase Callahan and McCaffrey’s fingerprints from my skin have finally started to subside as I make peace with my demons.

I’ve finally been reinstated in the Justice League, allowing me to be Wonder Woman again. It was a unanimous vote by the Founders with Bruce pushing the hardest for my reinstatement. He evidently felt that I’ve made enough progress in dealing with my trauma that it was safe for me to return. I know, though, that he and Kal are continuing to keep a close eye on me in case I start to show signs of stress again.

I’m hoping Bruce and I will be able to finally put us first for once now, giving me a chance to tell him again just how much I love him. With a little luck…or maybe a lot of it, he’ll finally be ready to allow our relationship to move forward tonight, but I’m not going to get my hopes up. 

Drawing a deep breath, I tuck a lock of hair back up into the simple twist I had put it up into before turning and leaving my bedroom, hoping that I won’t be coming back to it. While it has been a lovely room, I’d much rather sleep in Bruce’s room and in his bed.

Heading downstairs, I find Bruce already waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. He looks very handsome in a deep blue suit; a smile is tugging at his lips as his gaze falls on me. I nearly falter in my step with the way that he’s looking at me, his azure eyes burning darkly with undisguised desire.

“You look so beautiful,” he softly compliments me as I descend the last step, taking my hand in his.

I gaze down at my red dress that shows a generous amount of leg, relieved that he loves my choice. “Thank you,” I reply, kissing him lightly on the lips. “You look very striking yourself, Mister Wayne.”

Hand in hand, we enter the dining room to find that Alfred has more than outdone himself for us tonight. An elegant table for two has been set with candles and red roses, soft strains of instrumental music filling the room. Bruce leads me to my chair, pulling it out for me and scooting me in towards the table.

He takes his seat right next to me, noticing how close Alfred had situated our chairs. There’s no way to take this night as anything but romantic in every sense of the word. Alfred appears with two salads, pouring us each a glass of wine before leaving us alone once more. 

The nervous anticipation is almost palpable, and I know that I need to take control of this before this evening turns into a complete disaster. I know that things have been going better between us since I started opening up to him, but I still can’t help the lingering fear that he won’t be able to look at me the same anymore especially if we become intimate.

Will he be constantly thinking of what they did to me…what they tried to do to me?

“Diana…”

“Bruce…”

We both pause, chuckling softly at how awkward it suddenly feels between us. “You first,” he tells me, recovering before I can.

“I was just going to say that I think we made some very good choices in who we invited into the League,” I tell him, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. “Even Hawk and Dove.”

He frowns with the reminder of the brothers that he had been dead set against inviting into the League. “So far I guess,” he concedes. “They definitely enjoy being paired with you on missions.”

I can’t help but smirk, noticing the jealousy that momentarily flits across his face. “Well, there are several female Leaguers that are quite intrigued with the infamous Dark Knight of Gotham,” I reveal. “I’ve heard several conversations discussing how sexy Batman looks in his black uniform.”

I’ve clearly taken Bruce by surprise if the pink flush of his cheeks is any indication. “Yah, well it’s nothing compared to being forced to hear all the men talking about how gorgeous you are or how they would love to be alone with you and your golden lasso.”

He’s clearly angered by this, his grip on his fork tightening. “Too bad for them my heart already belongs to someone else,” I tell him, leaning in and kissing him softly.

He drops his fork with a clank as his hand suddenly finds my face, deepening and fully returning my kiss as his tongue probes my mouth with unmistakable desire. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that,” he murmurs, nuzzling his nose against mine.

We return to our meal, talking about the new recruits and what’s been going on in the League as well as upcoming charity events that I have planned for Wayne Enterprises. I remind him that we’ll need to schedule more training sessions with all the recruits, making sure that we work as a cohesive group.

We eventually move to the library to eat our dessert and drink coffee, Alfred announcing that he would be retiring for the evening but not before flashing me a knowing grin. I feel a flutter in the pit of my stomach, knowing that the time has finally come. I can’t put this off any longer, nor do I want to. I have to tell him before things become intimate between us.

I grow rather quiet…thoughtful as I stare at the flames of the fire. I can feel Bruce move to stand behind me, his hands slipping around my waist. “Penny for your thoughts,” he whispers in my ear, my eyes falling closed as he breathes in my scent.

My hands come to rest on top of his that are firmly holding me against his chest, his chin coming to rest on my shoulder. I tilt my head back against his shoulder, a sigh escaping. “I was just thinking about how much I love you…how very much you mean to me,” I confess.

He sighs in my ear, tilting his head to kiss my neck. “I love you too, princess,” he softly says.

I never get tired of hearing him tell me that he loves me. I reach behind me, my fingers threading through his hair. I know that I have one more confession that I need to make to him so there will be no more secrets between us. I just hope and pray this isn’t the blow that finally causes him to walk away from me.

“Are you going to tell me what’s really been on your mind lately?” he asks, releasing me and forcing me to turn around to face him.

It never ceases to amaze me how this man seems to know me better than I know myself. “There’s something that I need to tell you,” I reluctantly admit, my focus on his tie, but I can feel his gaze boring into me.

“Diana, you know you can tell me anything,” he reassures me, his hand coming to rest against the side of my neck and jaw. “Is it about what happened to you during your abduction?”

I quickly shake my head, pursing my lips as I swallow hard. “No, I told you everything,” I reply, still not meeting his intense gaze that I’m sure is filling with worry.

“What is it?” he presses, his fingers beneath my chin forcing me to look at him. “Talk to me, princess. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.”

“I…I can’t have children,” I confess as tears begin to prick my eyes. “The gods have denied me the ability to get pregnant. I’m not sure I completely understand why except they want to make sure that I don’t deviate from my mission as their champion.”

“Diana…” he begins, anguish swimming in his blue eyes and tearing at my heart.

“I’m so sorry, Bruce,” I interrupt him, a tear slowly trickling down my cheek. “I know I should’ve told you sooner and I was going to, but then I was abducted and struggling to come to terms with all of it afterwards. Then, you were taken and…and I couldn’t fine you…”

His lips tenderly capture mine, effectively silencing me. His tongue is insistent as he kisses me and steals my breath. The building heat behind his kiss is making my head spin as desire begins to thrum through me. Hera, I want this man more than I want my next breath.

Retreating, he presses his forehead against mine, refusing to let go of me. “I don’t care, princess,” he insists, his voice determined and broking no room for argument. “I love you more than anything in this world. Nothing else matters to me but you and having you in my life.”

“But don’t you want to have a child of your own someday…build a family with someone?” I ask.

“As long as I have you, I don’t need anything more,” he replies, kissing my forehead. “I want to build a life with you and no one else.”

“I want you to have a chance at having a family, Bruce…even…even if it’s not with me,” I manage to choke out the words that are like a knife’s blade to my heart as I attempt to pull away from him.

“The only family I want is one that includes you,” he firmly states, refusing to let me go as draws me back to him. “I don’t want to be with anyone else. You are all I need, Diana.”

“What about children?”

“We can always adopt,” he tells me with a reassuring smile as he caresses my cheek. “I already have two sons now. I know there are many more children out there who would love to have a home and we can give them that if we choose to.”

Tears return with a vengeance, but I don’t allow them to fall. This man never ceases to amaze me, my love for him expanding and deepening beyond imagine. I kiss him again, passion quickly flaring and intensifying by the moment. Our breathing grows ragged as love and desire that has been pent-up for far too long takes over, now free to be expressed and experienced at its fullest.

I begin to trail kisses along his jaw to his ear, my fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I want you, Bruce,” I whisper against his ear. 

He grasps my face in his hands, pulling me up to kiss him again. “I’ve wanted you for so long now,” he murmurs against my lips.

“Don’t push me away anymore,” I plead with him, my nose nuzzling his as our lips continually brush against each other’s, breaths mingling as hands grow possessive and insistent. “I want to feel your skin against mine…to feel you deep inside of me.”

He needs no further invitation as he suddenly picks me up in his arms, my arms linking around his neck as he carries me from the library and up the stairs to his waiting bedroom. He kicks the door closed before setting me down, his hands immediately drawing me to him once again.

He kisses me slowly…gently, trying to calm the passionate storm that has erupted between us. I return his kiss with equal desire, my fingers slipping inside his suit jacket before sliding it off his shoulders and down his arms. His hand moves to cup my cheek as I begin to undo his tie, his thumb caressing my cheekbone as he gazes into my eyes.

Thoughts of Declan MacCaffrey and Ian Callahan attempt to surge through my mind as his hand cups my breast, but I quickly dismiss them. I will not allow them to have a hold on me any longer. They will not steal my happiness or intrude upon the passion that Bruce and I are about to share in. This is about us and our love and no one else.

Bruce pauses as I tense with his touch on my breast, but I immediately relax. I know that he still fears that he’s pushing me too soon and I love him even more for it. I pull his tie free, allowing it to fall to the floor to join his suit jacket before cradling his face in my hands. 

“I’m all right, Bruce,” I whisper, my lips grazing his. I pause to nibble at his bottom lip, eliciting a deep groan. “Make love to me…show me what you feel when you look at me…show me how much you want me.”

A strangled breath escapes with huff of air, followed by a low growl. His lips meet mine again, so sweet and pure and reverent as holds me close to him. I begin to lose myself in him again, my hands coming to rest on his shoulders. His fingers slowly slip the straps of my dress down my arms, one hand sneaking around to the back to undo my zipper.

I allow the red material to slide down my body to pool at my feet, biting at my bottom lip with a sense of nervous anticipation that is unwarranted. I know that I have absolutely nothing to worry about with him, but I can’t help wondering what he’ll think of me…if I’ll be able to please him after all the women that he’s been with in the past.

I force myself to look up at him, the intense emotions in his expression steeling my breath. “So very beautiful,” he whispers as he seems to literally drink me in, love and lust permeating his piercing eyes growing dark like a midnight blue sky. “My princess…”

A soft smile curves my lips as I reach for his dress shirt, the buttons not surviving my impatient assault. He raises his arms as I lift the edge of his undershirt, allowing me the pleasure of undressing him. The rest of his clothes soon follow before he’s kissing me and backing me towards his bed. The backs of my legs hit the edge of it as I reach for him, my hand finding his hard arousal. I tentatively wrap my fingers around him, watching him for his reaction.

I’m instantly rewarded with a low growl that seems to vibrate from somewhere deep in his chest, his breath hitching as I slowly begin to explore him. His hands firmly grip my hips as if to steady himself as I begin to stroke him with an unhurried, steady rhythm, my lips finding his chest. I start with one faint scar near his shoulder, my lips and tongue gently caressing it before moving on to the next. I’m more than determined to kiss and know every single scar that covers this amazing man’s body and the stories behind each one.

I can tell that I’m already driving him wild as his fingers move to bury in my hair, gripping it tightly and holding on to me for dear life. I send up a silent prayer to Aphrodite for her divine guidance and blessing as I suck hard on his nipple, my teeth raking over it as my hand continues to work him into a heated frenzy.

He abruptly grabs hold of my hand, quickly removing it from his body. His strong hands wrap around my thighs, lifting me up and wrapping my legs around his waist before laying me down on his bed in one swift motion. I suddenly find myself on my back gazing up into the handsome face of the man that I love above all else.

My heart begins to hammer with desire for more of him as he uses his elbows to support his weight above me. His intense gaze is filled with such lust and desire that I can’t even begin to stop the fierce tremble that rolls through me. His mouth is swiftly on mine before I can draw my next breath, his right hand moving to caress my breast.

This is the way that it should be—passionate, tender, reverential…giving and receiving all rolled up into one magical moment shared between two people deeply in love with one other. This is what I have wanted with him for so very long now.

It’s his turn to explore me at will, his touch against my skin so tender I could cry. He kisses me deeply before creating a tortuous path down my throat to my other breast, teasing them both with hands and mouth until I’m writhing beneath him and begging for more of him.

He kisses his way down to my navel, swirling his tongue around it before heading further south. I instinctively pull my knees further up towards my body, parting them and welcoming him both to take and to taste. I have such complete and utter trust in him, offering him every single part of me.

He’s taking his time to love me, kissing and nipping the inside of my thighs. His hand moves to caress my stomach, the other gripping my hip as he dips his head to taste me for the first time. I gasp sharply with the sweet contact of his lips against me and I swear I feel as though I’m in a free fall as a whirlwind of sensations and emotions seizes hold of me.

My fingers clutch at the sheets, bracing myself for the fierce storm I know that is yet to come. He continues with his focused ministrations until I come with a powerful release that makes me feel boneless. He doesn’t waste any time kissing his way back up my body and leaving me more than a little lightheaded as I struggle to regain some sort of control over my body once more. 

His fingers slide into my hair, pulling me in for a heated kiss that no longer needs to be tame. Nothing is being held back this time, each of us at last revealing what we’ve both been keeping hidden deep inside of us…the fierce passion that we’ve been forced to bridle for far too long finally being unleashed. He takes my hand in his, lacing our fingers as the fingers of his other hand slowly trail along the outside of my hip and thigh.

He kisses me hard as I feel his arousal brush against me before pushing himself inside of me. He pauses to gaze down at me, our combined breaths exerted and our bodies strung taut with a need so fierce I swear we’re going to be consumed by it if we don’t do something soon. 

I can sense his worry about hurting me, but I want him…all of him.

I lift my hips, taking more of him inside of me and letting him know that I want this. A strangled cry escapes his throat as he squeezes his eyes closed in response to my movement. He involuntarily thrusts hard into me out of an uncontrollable physical response, stretching me and filling me so full of him that I don’t know where I end and he begins. 

I tense for a moment, my body bowing from the painful intrusion as I arch my back. We both wait for a moment, trying to calm the frenzy we both feel building beneath our skin. We’re finally one and it feels incredible…better than anything that I’ve ever dreamed about with him. It brings tears to my eyes to actually share something so amazing and intimate with him.

After all that we’ve been through over the last year, we finally found our way here.

Bruce begins to kiss away my tears with his lips. “Shhh...I’m so sorry,” he softly murmurs as he repeatedly kisses me.

I open my eyes, gazing up into his handsome face filled with such worry. “I…just never thought…I’d ever have this with you,” I murmur, reaching up and running my fingers through his hair. “I thought you didn’t want me after…I thought you…”

“Never, princess,” he heatedly tells me, kissing my forehead, my eyelids, my cheeks. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my entire life.”

He kisses me deeply as he begins to make love to me, showing me every bit of what he feels for me, pouring all of his love and lust and longing into each touch, every single thrust of his hips. He’s allowing me to see inside of him as we stare into each other’s eyes. He’s opening himself up to me in a way that he never has before up until now.

Our mingled gasps and moans of pleasure fill the room, our bodies becoming slick with sweat as he moves over and inside of me. He releases my hands long enough to guide them to grip the spindles of his headboard, his hands wrapping around mine to keep them there. 

Every inch of us is touching one another as we make love, our bodies rubbing against each other’s. I lift my legs to wrap around his waist, drawing him in even deeper. He growls his satisfaction as he buries his face in the crook of my neck, his panting breaths so hot against my skin. His grunting gasps punctuate each slam of his hips against mine as he now moves with wild abandon, his body moving of its own accord.

He raises his head enough to gaze into my eyes, clearly struggling to speak at that moment but determined to nonetheless. “I lo…I love you…so much…” he manages to choke out, his blue eyes shining brightly with emotion.

“And I love you…my Dark Knight,” I breathlessly utter.

I feel my inner walls clamp down on him, my body seizing in an explosion like fireworks. I cry out his name between gasping breaths as he releases deep inside of me. He thrusts into me a few more times before collapsing on top of me, both of us shuddering and panting. 

I break free from our combined hold on the headboard, my hands instantly roaming over his back and exploring him the way that I’ve been aching to. My fingers trail over skin moist with sweat, roaming over his muscular body in an attempt to imprint everything about him deeply into my mind.

I roll him over onto his back, my hair a raven veil shielding us from the world outside as I kiss him with all the passion I feel for this man. We’re barely recovered from our intense climax before I’m already working him back up into another heated frenzy, grinding my hips against him as I kiss and nip along his throat.

As we begin to make love once more, I can’t help feeling as though my life…my heart is finally complete for the first time since coming to Man’s World and I know it’s all because of this man. As I take him inside of me again, I place my hands on his chest to steady myself as I gaze deeply into hooded azure eyes filled with hunger for me and me alone. 

I slowly begin to rock my hips, silently swearing on my life that I will not allow anything to come between us ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow. Ok, I think that turned out a lot hotter than I had intended. Sorry for any computers or reading devices that may have gone up in flames. :)
> 
> UP NEXT: So sad to say that there's only the Epilogue and then this one is over. No plans to continue this series as it hasn't been very well read. I still wouldn't mind coming back to do a sequel if an idea hits me. This series is very near and dear to my heart.


	28. Epilogue

Epilogue

**_Wayne Manor; May 19th, 18:02 EST_ **

Finishing my run through the woods, I find myself wandering to that grassy cliff that overlooks the water. It’s always been my favorite spot to sit and think because it reminds me of Themyscira in a way, but I haven’t been back here since Bruce asked me to move into the manor with him that day over seven months ago.

What had once been a place of peace and solace had somehow become a place of reminders of who I was before my abduction and the woman I feared that I’d never be again. I had avoided this place for months, but now I feel a draw to it once more.

I settle down into the grass, crossing my legs as I gaze out over the water. I lightly run the palm of my hand over the tops of the blades of grass, the sound of the crashing waves below a soothing backdrop that I didn’t realize just how much I’d missed until this moment.

I close my eyes as I draw a deep breath, pulling my legs up to my chest before wrapping my arms around my knees. I suddenly feel so very small among my surroundings, but there is a sense of peace in my soul that had been missing for far too long.

I’m know that I’ll never be the same Diana that was before I was taken, and I realize now that that’s okay. I’ve come to accept it. I don’t have to be the same me again and, truth be told, I don’t want to be. Something very traumatic happened to me, changing me in ways that I never could have dreamed and yet I know deep down that I’m a stronger woman for it.

I’ve learned so many things about myself over the last seven months, things that I never would’ve learned had I not gone through those five days of horror. While I wouldn’t have chosen such an event to happen to me, I’m learning to deal with it and accept the changes.

Although it’s been a very difficult, rocky road, it has drawn Bruce and I unbelievably closer than we ever have been before. Since opening myself up to him, I’ve discovered a kindred spirit that knows and understands the brokenness that I’ve been struggling to deal with. I’ve discovered an even deeper love for him and I know he will forever be a part of me.

We’ve made love countless times since that first night we gave ourselves to each other, each time seeming better than the last. I smile to myself as I think about that fierce passion we share, my cheeks growing warm as I recount his kisses and that incredible intimacy that we share. I’ve never felt closer to anyone in my entire life than I do with him. It’s as if we’ve managed to reach each other on an even deeper level, binding us as one.

“You’re blushing, princess,” a familiar baritone voice utters, causing a shiver to race up my spine. “Care to tell me what you’re thinking about it…or who?”

I dip my head in embarrassment as Bruce settles down to sit in the grass beside me with a knowing smirk dancing on his lips and pure mischief in his azure eyes. I bite at my bottom lip as I raise my head to look at him, feeling the warmth on my cheeks grower hotter.

“A handsome man that I sort of know,” I coyly respond, my lips curving slightly.

His eyes instantly narrow, jealousy flaring and replacing the playfulness that had just been there. “And which man would that be?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” I tease.

“Yes, in fact, I would,” he states as he leans closer to me in an attempt to intimidate me. “I don’t like competition, princess...especially not with the woman that I love, and I definitely don’t share.”

“Hmmm…well, what if I told you that it was you?”

A crooked smile forms on his face as his lips hover dangerously close to mine. “Then, I have to ask what exactly you were thinking about me that made you blush like that?” he huskily asks.

My gaze drops to his mouth as I feel my breath catch in my throat. “Maybe I should just show you instead,” I murmur, my lips capturing his in a heated kiss.

His fingers slip into my hair to rest against the back of my head as we continue to kiss until the need to breathe becomes to hard to ignore. We retreat only for him to kiss me again, unwilling to stop any time soon. I begin to move, shifting my position to straddle his lap. I push him back in the grass as we continue to exchange passionate kisses, tongues exploring and hands hungrily roaming.

I draw back to stare into his azure eyes, his fingers threading through my hair again to hold it back out of my face. “I’m so glad to see you out here again,” he confesses. “I know how much this spot means to you.”

I smile softly at him, lightly pressing my lips to his. “I’ve missed it,” I admit. “I’m glad you’re home. I have something I want to talk about with you, but first I have to find out how your meeting went.”

Bruce sits up, but doesn’t relinquish his hold on me, keeping me firmly situated on his lap as his hands move to circle my waist. I can tell by the bright gleam in his eyes that he has good news. “It’s ours,” he tells me.

“Really?” I cry in response, tears instantly pricking my eyes. “It’s really ours?”

“It’s really yours to do with whatever you want,” he confirms.

I cradle his face in my hands, kissing him senseless before placing kisses all over his face. “I can’t believe it,” I whisper, having difficulty finding the words or my voice in that moment. “I was beginning to think it wouldn’t happen.”

“I told you I would make it work,” he reminds me with a cocky grin, his breathing a little exerted. “You do remember who I am, right? Don’t tell me you doubted me.”

“No…no, it’s just…I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” I try to explain, doing my best to keep the tears at bay but one escapes.

“Well, the Grand Spire Hotel is all yours now, princess,” he confirms. “You can begin renovating it whenever you’re ready.”

“No, no, Bruce…it’s ours,” I insist. “I want this project to be yours and mine. We’re a team, remember? We share in everything.”

His smile intensifies even more if that’s possible, his eyes shining brightly with such love. “Do you know yet what you’re going to name your new foundation?”

“I’m thinking of calling it Willow’s House,” I reveal, hoping that he’ll appreciate the name that I’ve chosen. “I only feel it’s fitting since she lost her life at such a young age at the hands of those monsters. Besides, it’s what she wanted to do with her life after graduating from college. I feel like I can help her do that in a way now.”

“I think it’s absolutely perfect, princess,” he tells me.

My hands caress his face, my lips soon following suit. His hands splay against my back, holding me firmly against him which is more than fine with me. I never want to let this man go, never want to go a single day without him being a part of it in some way, shape, or form.

I press my forehead against his in an effort to regain some measure of control. I want him so desperately right now, but this is not the place as tempting as it may seem. “Bruce, I can’t begin to thank you enough for—”

“Shhh…you never have to thank me,” he replies, his lips grazing mine. “I’m just so happy and honored that you’re allowing me to be a part of your project to help provide a safe haven for abused women. I think some of the girls we rescued would love to be a part of it too.”

“Do you think we’ll ever find the rest of the missing girls?” I softly ask, almost afraid of the answer.

He releases a heavy sigh, his expression conveying his thoughts before words are ever uttered. “I don’t know, Diana, but I do know that we won’t stop looking for them,” he truthfully replies. “I won’t give up until I’ve brought all of them home.”

My lips find his in a reassuring kiss, one filled with comfort and gratitude for this stubborn, amazing man and his iron will that is stronger than all the evil in the world. I know that if anyone can find these still missing girls it will most definitely be him…and I know with all my heart that I’ll be with him every step of the way.

Now that they have Scott St. James, Trevor and Connor Mills, and Ian Callahan safely behind bars, the sex slave ring has effectively been shut down. Officer Charlie Sullivan was arrested as well for his part. It didn’t take long for Charlie to implicate a couple of other Gotham Police officers who had also helped to fake Callahan’s death in jail and his subsequent escape.

It was over. It was truly over.

“I have some more news for you,” Bruce reveals.

“What is it?” I ask as I cradle his face in my hands.

“There isn’t going to be a trial for Declan MacCaffrey,” he informs me.

A tremor of panic lances through me, worried that he is going to go free on some stupid technicality. He tightens his hold on my waist, his nose coming to rest against my cheek in reassurance. “St. James turned state’s evidence against his uncle,” he continues. “He told Trask everything including details of your kidnapping and torture. You won’t have to testify now.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, my eyes falling closed in relief. 

While I was more than prepared to do everything in my power to put that monster away, I didn’t relish the thought of being the center of a media frenzy at the trial or drawing even more attention to Bruce. He’s been through enough over the last seven months and the last thing I want is to risk exposing our secret identities.

“I promise that Willow’s House won’t get in the way of my job at Wayne Enterprises,” I reassure him.

“You don’t have to continue working at Wayne Enterprises,” he tells me, taking my hand in his. “You have done an incredible job of straightening out the charities department. I want you to be able to focus on this project without having to divide your time.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive,” he confirms. “Between Willow’s House and the Justice League and planning a wedding, you’re going to be—”

“Wait…what?” I whisper, my bottom lip trembling as I gaze into his eyes.

His lips curl into a grin as he pulls a small velvet box from his pants pocket. He opens it up for me to see what’s inside, my heart leaping into my throat as my eyes fall on the large diamond engagement ring. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he tells me as he takes the ring from the box. “Will you do me the honor of being my wife, Diana?”

I can feel the tears as they slip down my cheeks, finding it more than difficult to draw a breath. “Yes…yes, Bruce,” I respond as he takes my left hand in his and slips the ring on my finger.

“I love you, princess,” he tells me, kissing me. “I don’t want to go another day without knowing that you’ll always be mine.”

“I love you too,” I murmur, kissing him as I push him back into the grass again.

I pull back enough to look into his eyes, hoping that what I’m about to tell him will make him as happy as he has made me. “How would you like to welcome a baby into our home in about nine months?”

Bruce stares up at me in shock, his eyes suddenly rimmed red with unshed tears. “You’re pregnant?” he asks, pausing to draw a shaky breath.

I bite at my bottom lip, nodding my head in affirmation. “Aphrodite visited me in a dream last night,” I reveal. “She felt that we deserved a chance at having a baby of our own after everything we’ve been through. Our daughter will be—”

“Daughter?” he whispers.

“We’re having a girl,” I confirm with a grin.

“I can’t believe it,” he murmurs, pulling me down onto him and kissing me with a renewed sense of passion.

He rolls us over in the grass, his muscular body settling over mine. He abruptly breaks the kiss, gazing down at me with such an intense longing that it nearly steals my breath. “I would love nothing more than to take you right here, but I was instructed by a very anxious Alfred to immediately bring you inside for dinner to celebrate our engagement. I don’t think we’d want him wandering out here to find us in a compromising position. Besides, I think we have to tell him we’re having a baby girl.”

He gets to his feet, offering me his hand. I take it, getting it up onto my feet as well. I pull him into an embrace as our lips meet once more. “We certainly wouldn’t want Alfred stumbling upon something sordid like that,” I agree as we walk hand-in-hand towards the manor. “However, after dinner you are all mine, Mister Wayne.”

“I can hardly wait,” he practically growls as we enter the kitchen.

“I take it she said yes?” Alfred asked, his face practically beaming with excitement.

“She did,” Bruce confirms, showing him my hand with the engagement ring adorning it.

“Marvelous,” Alfred replies. “Then, I guess we can have our celebratory dinner I planned.”

Releasing Bruce’s hand, I make my way to Alfred, enveloping him in a warm embrace. “Thank you for everything, Alfred,” I whisper in his ear. “I think you’ll make a wonderful grandfather.”

I feel him stiffen in my arms, forcing me to pull back to make sure he’s all right. “Grandfather?” he mutters in stunned disbelief. “Are you…?”

“Bruce and I are having a baby girl,” I confirm, noticing the tears that instantly fill his eyes.

He returns my embrace, holding me close. “I would be honored, my dear,” he replies.

“I hope you will walk with me down the aisle at our wedding.”

The tears brimming in his eyes escape and I know that I have touched his heart with my request. “I would love nothing more, Miss Diana.”

I nod my head as I release him, turning my attention back to my future husband and father of our daughter. He captures my hand in his, his thumb caressing the back of it and I know with every fiber of my being that this is where I am supposed to be.

All the roads in my life, every single twist and turn has led me here. While some of those twists and turns have been painful at times, they brought me here to him and I wouldn’t change a single thing. To change any of it might alter what I have now, what I share with Bruce…and that is unimaginable and unacceptable to me.

I am an Amazon, a warrior, the Champion of the Gods, Wonder Woman, and now I have the privilege of adding wife and mother to those coveted titles.

And I get to do it all with the man that I love more than my own life.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know said I wouldn't be continuing this fic, but there is a chance that I will do a sequel to this with Bruce and Diana searching for the still missing girls. I personally think that would make for a pretty amazing fic. Thoughts?
> 
> UP NEXT: I'll be updating Family Ties this weekend. I'm also working on my next Wonderbat fic titled Deadly Intentions. Diana has a secret admirer that turns out to be a deadly stalker. Will Bruce and Diana be able to figure out who it is before it's too late? This is pre-BMWW and is definitely not your every day, run-of-the-mill stalker fic. You will be most surprised by how this one is going to turn out! :)


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